Debbra Lee Haley

Debbra Lee Haley was born on November 6, 1951, in Rapid City, South Dakota, the cherished eldest of five children to Marie and Lloyd Anschutz. From her earliest days, she carried a quiet resilience and a warm, generous heart that shaped the lives of everyone fortunate enough to know her.

After graduating high school, Debbra met Russell John Haley, the person who would become the great love of her life. They married on June 21, 1975, beginning a bond that accompanied her through every chapter of life. Together, they welcomed two children who became her greatest joys: their son Russell John Haley III and their daughter Stacy Marie Haley. Her children were her world, and she supported them with unwavering pride and limitless devotion.

In the 1990s, Debbra pursued her calling in healthcare and returned to school, earning a degree in Cardiovascular Technology from the University of South Dakota. She went on to build a long and meaningful career at Avera Hospital, where she cared for patients with exceptional skill, compassion, and steadiness for more than 25 years. After retiring, she continued to extend her caregiving spirit, offering comfort and companionship to older adults with tenderness and compassion.

Debbra's home was a place where doors opened easily and hearts opened even easier. Beyond her roles as wife and mother, she became an honorary parent to many of her children's friends, welcoming them as if they were her own. Her embrace of others was boundless, and anyone who stepped into her life found acceptance without condition.

A true animal lover, Debbra filled her life with countless pets and poured affection into the wildlife around her. From barn cats to squirrels to her two loyal golden retrievers, Buddy and Hunter, she cared for them all. She loved taking daily adventures with her dogs at Great Bear Recreation, no matter the weather.

Creative to her core, Debbra had a natural eye for interior design and was constantly immersed in imaginative projects. She loved the outdoors, cherished her friendships, and kept her family close. Fiercely independent, she lived life guided by instinct and spirit, always doing things in her own memorable way. Music accompanied her through all seasons of life, especially country classics and the voice of Elvis Presley. She embodied the words "I did it my way" from a song he made famous near the end of his life. Debbra lived her life on her own terms, with a steady courage and a clear sense of who she was.

She loved to dance, and she and her husband Russell could often be found lighting up the floor with a lively jitterbug. In 2023, they began a beautiful new chapter together in Lake Havasu City, AZ, savoring the sun, companionship, and the familiar rhythm of a lifelong connection. Debbra passed peacefully surrounded by her family and loved ones on November 29, 2025, in Las Vegas, NV due to complications from Alzheimer's.

Debbra is preceded in death by her parents, Marie and Lloyd Anschutz, and her sisters Lana Williams and Joanie Tittle. She is survived by her husband Russell John Haley II; her son Russell John Haley III; her daughter Stacy Marie Haley; her brother Donald Anschutz (Becky); her sister Barbara Anschutz-Dorsher (Robert); and her sisters-in-law Susan Heil (Larry); Linda Hendrickson; and honorary daughter Leigh Moon. She leaves behind many loved ones, friends, and chosen family who will forever cherish the warmth, strength, and love she shared so freely.

Debbra will be missed beyond words. She was truly one of a kind: vibrant, generous, brave, creative, and endlessly loving. Her legacy lives on in every heart she touched.

A celebration of life will be held in both Sioux Falls and the special place that holds her heart, the Black Hills in South Dakota. Times and dates will be announced at a later date.

In remembrance of Debbra Lee Haley's life, the family requests in lieu of flowers and gifts that a charitable donation be made to The Alzheimer's Association, your Local Humane Society, or a charity of your choice in her name.