Debra S. Wolfe

1954 - 2022

Debra S. (Debbie) Wolfe

May 11, 1954 – Dec 21, 2022

Debbie Wolfe passed away in the early morning hours of Dec 21, 2022, at her home in Albany OR. She is survived by her husband Dwight Wolfe, son Jason (Lori) Wolfe of Albany, son Craig Wolfe of Salem, and her three granddaughters Faith (Austin) Fidler, Ava Wolfe andElla Wolfe, who she cherished. In addition, she leaves behind her parents Laurance and Ava Kerr of The Dalles, sister Linda (Steve) of Onalaska WA, and sister Beverly (Ray) Sherrill of Florence OR, plus other family and friends that were all dearly loved by Debbie.

Debbie was born on May 11, 1954, at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane WA, the oldest of three girls and grew up in many different places in Oregon, where her dad worked for the Corp of Engineers on the NW dam network. She lived a few years in Sweet Home, and she graduated from The Dalles high School in 1972. That summer she went to Corvallis, enrolling at OSU but eventually got a job at the Corvallis Gazette Times newspaper. In 1974 she met Dwight, who was attending OSU. They were married Nov 9, 1974, and recently celebrated their 48th anniversary. In January 1975 started their life together on the Wolfe Ranch at Wallowa. In 1976 son #1 Jason was born, Craig was born in July 1978, and in August 1978 Debbie experienced her first symptoms of what would later become diagnosed as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Her indomitable spirit came out and she vowed to not let it control her life any more than it had to. Thus began her 44-year journey of not only dealing with the effects of MS for herself, but more about helping others who also experienced the debilitating effects of this neurological disease.

Debbie started the Wallowa County MS Support Group shortly after her diagnosis because she wanted to visit with others who struggled and figured they might also like to get together and visit. It did not take long for it to get established and they met monthly. Debbie said it was her job to keep the time upbeat and encouraging for all because there is much to be discouraged about this disease.

Debbie and her family moved to Pendleton in 1981, where she eventually started an MS Support Group there, continuing with the idea of helping others. She was known then for having an effervescent spirit that brought a smile to your face when you met her. She studied the disease and brought information, sometimes speakers, to her meetings, to help educate all who were impacted by MS.

While at Pendleton, Debbie started working for the East Oregonian newspaper, writing news articles and proof reading and other duties. She became friends with the lady who had a weekly column called Out and About, and when she retired, Debbie took over the column and soon made it her own. Some called it a gossip column, Debbie saw it to share with the community interesting information about local people who might be famous for a day or a moment, or a story about a horse getting stuck in a well. No matter what, she had a style of writing that drew people to her weekly column.

When Debbie and her family moved to Albany in 1991, it was not long before Debbie was inquiring about a MS Support group, and she discovered there had been one in Corvallis, but they were not meeting. She resurrected it and before too long Corvallis was hosting the MS Walk & Roll marathon championed by Debbie and an incredible group of helpers. Eventually, the relentless disease of MS brought Debbie to the point where she could no longer be a part of the fun, and so others took over, as she had done.

Debbie liked to do crossword puzzles, visit with family and friends, and read books. She loved her family and would do anything for them. She especially liked to visit with her sisters, Linda & Beverly, and regularly talked with her mom, Ava. She was Dwight's biggest champion in those early years of him working through his addiction, never putting him down but loving him as unconditional as a person can.

Debbie brightened the lives of everyone she met, her smile was easy, because she saw others either as a fellow person to laugh with, or someone who could use a smile. Rather than see the world as a darker place without her, let us try to copy what she did, after all, it takes the same muscles to frown as it does to smile. Debbie smiled!

A service of remembrance will be held January 21, 2023, at North Albany Community Church at 1 pm.

AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home handled the arrangements (www.aasum-dufour.com).