Obituary of Debbie Marie Palmer

Please join us for a Celebration of Life in Debbie’s honor on Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach, MB. Reception to follow.

On Wednesday, September 27, 2023, Debbie Marie Palmer (nee Kelly) found her Butterfly Wings at Bethesda Hospital in Steinbach, MB, at the age of 63, after spending the previous several weeks on the road trip of a lifetime with her loving husband.  

She is predeceased by her parents (Donna Wellman and William Kelly) and Grandson (Cayden).

She is survived by her husband Wesley, siblings Janet (Bob), Shaun, & Jeffrey (Alice) children Micheal (Christina), Chris, Justin (Jennifer), Patrick (Mary), Bobbi (Ross) and Daryl along with grandchildren (Brandon, Emily, Jaxon, Malachi, Elijah, Ashley, Laura, Isabelle, Alexis & MacKenzie).

Debbie was born in Belleville, Ontario and lived in Foxboro, ON where she graduated from Quinte Secondary School.  In 1990, she moved to Steinbach, MB.

Debbie lived life to the fullest, relying on her Faith and always looking out for the underdog and including everyone.  She was humble and didn’t like spending money on frivolous things unless it was purple or had butterflies!!

Debbie’s love of children and childcare, belief of inclusivity and helping people was the perfect foundation for her career as an Adult Support Worker where she cared for adults with unique needs through respite care and recreational activities.  She helped and created very special bonds with countless clients and their families throughout the years and was excited to retire in June of 2022.

Mom was a tough but kindhearted mother of four boys.  She was not afraid to be whatever she needed to be to ensure they were taken care of.  Memories are filled with times that Mom hosted all the boys and their friends for family meals and holiday celebrations!  It sure was a full house!  You’d think that was enough to make any mom crazy, but family meant everything to her and so it was done.  She was very excited when her family grew with two step-children, who she loved as her own, as well.

Debbie met her loving and devoted husband Wes in 2003 and they were married August 1, 2015.  She was a supportive and dedicated wife and they were each other's worlds.  It was very hard to find one without the other.  She encouraged Wes to get back into the music scene after a hiatus and enjoyed accompanying him to all of his various gigs (she only missed a handful).  Together, they loved sharing road trips to destinations near and far, sometimes to catch up with friends and family, or spend time with their children and grandchildren at the park, beach or campgrounds, other times more locally just to get a hot dog or ice cream, but mostly to see the sites off the beaten path.  

Debbie enjoyed crafting in her spare time.  This included mostly scrapbooking, collecting rocks and painting them, diamond art and making exciting and fun holiday baskets/boxes for the grandchildren.  So many items were made throughout the years including full size Snowmen out of boxes for Christmas or imitation bubble gum machines for Easter.

Of all the things Debbie was fond of, she most loved her ten grandchildren.  She was a very devoted Grandma and would drop everything to spend time with them.  They were her world.  She most enjoyed spending time at the park and getting slurpees, hosting tea parties (including the best snacks), board/card games and sleepovers, movie nights and more which she tied into special “Grandma Days”.  She was their Biggest Fan at all their sporting activities and was happy to spend holidays and family dinners together!

In June/July of 2023, Debbie enjoyed a few week trip home to the Belleville, ON area to visit with family.  And, most recently, on this most recent several week long road trip, in her final days, Debbie had the pleasure of accompanying Wes to his hometown to visit with family and friends and then then down into the United States seeing the Redwoods in California, see the Pacific Ocean, drink the water of Hoover Dam, hear the echoes of the Grand Canyon, walk alongside the Hollywood Stars and visit the sets of several TV shows, be in the audience of the Price is Right, visit a Meteor crater and so much more. 

“A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam and for a brief moment, its glory and beauty belong to our world.  But then it flies again.  And though we wish it could have stayed. . .we feel lucky to have seen it.” (Author Unknown)

Please join us for a Celebration of Life in Debbie’s honor on Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach, MB. Reception to follow.