Deborah J. Morlan

Deborah Morlan, 52, died Friday, January 14, 2011, in Des Moines. A mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 19, 2011, at Christ the King Catholic Church with burial following at Sunset Memorial Gardens. A visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, January 17, 2011, at Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home, with a rosary at 7 p.m.

Debbie grew up on the Southside of Des Moines. She graduated Lincoln High School in 1976, and was very proud to be a Railsplitter. Throughout her life, she remained a steadfast citizen of the Southside, where she was a devout member of the Catholic Church.

Debbie was a life-long caregiver. In her teenage years, she began serving others as a volunteer candy striper at Commonwealth Care Center. Later, she worked as a nurse’s aide at the same facility. Debbie always loved children and worked for decades as a nanny and an in-home childcare provider. She also cared for numerous Southside senior citizens over the years.

Debbie was a generous and warm-hearted person, with a shining smile. She had a wonderful imagination and expressed her creativity is many different ways. She was passionate about gardening, wrote poetry, enjoyed baking, and was meticulous about decorating her home. She loved being the hostess, and insisted on hosting most holiday and birthday gatherings. Throughout her life, nothing was more important to Debbie than her family. She cherished each and every member of it. Although, she always made sure everyone knew her mother was her “favorite person”.

Debbie was an enthusiastic fan of music and especially loved Elton John. She took pleasure in living life spontaneously. She delighted in going to the movies, shopping, and dining at restaurants. If events were planned at a moment’s notice, that made it all the better.

Throughout her life Debbie overcame many struggles. As a young adult she was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, which was followed by radiation treatment. She suffered a severe stroke in 1993. During the fall of 2003, she was hit by a car and incurred a traumatic brain injury. Despite all these challenges, Debbie always maintained a positive spirit, and faced everything with a sense of optimism and humor. Her motto was “never give-up”, and she never did. She was a true warrior and survivor.

We want to thank all of you for the many prayers and thoughts for Debbie. We are very sure that is what kept Debbie going for the last 32 years. We are thankful and grateful for everything you have done. We would like to express our deep gratitude to all of the amazing people at On With Life, where Debbie spent nearly a year rehabilitating from her brain injury; also to the nurses, therapists, and physicians at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, where Debbie spent a great deal of time over the last seven years; and to the numerous home health providers, who cared for her as both a patient and a person. Debbie’s family will forever be indebted to all of these caregivers. We would like to give a special thanks to Michelle - who consistently went above and beyond the call of duty.

Debbie is survived by her mother, Karen George; her father, Tom George; her sisters, Barbara George, Carol George, Suzanne George, and Linda George; her honorary brother, Matthew Hill; her aunts, Joyce Stasi, Marlys George and Carolyn Nash; and her uncles, Paul George and Norman Lane; she was proceeded in death by her grandparents, Elizabeth and Joe Nash and Pearl and Raymond George; her uncles John Nash and John Stasi; and her aunt Mary Frances Lane.

Memorial contributions may be made to On With Life in Ankeny or Christ the King Catholic Church in Des Moines.

Online condolences may be made to:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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