Deborah Mae Mount (née Palmer), known to many as Deb, age 72, of Marquette, Michigan, passed away peacefully on March 17, 2026. She was born on October 14, 1953, in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Gerald and Virginia Palmer.
Deborah grew up in Roseville, Michigan, and later moved to the Copper Country in 1985, where she raised her two children.
Deborah was a longtime resident of Mohawk, Michigan, and most recently lived in Marquette. She will be remembered for her strength and resilience throughout her life.
Deborah worked in the kitchen at Keweenaw Memorial Medical Center in Laurium before later working as a cook at Gardenview in Calumet, an assisted living and memory care facility, where she cared for others not just through meals, but through kindness and compassion. She took pride in her work and the comfort she brought to those she served, and later retired in 2020.
She enjoyed the beauty of Lake Superior, taking drives through Keweenaw County while listening to 1970s classic rock, creating art, and watching Little House on the Prairie - simple things that brought her comfort and joy. She was known for her pale green eyes. She was especially proud of her children, Melissa and Damon, and the lives they built.
She is survived by her children: Melissa Polkinghorne Coxon and her husband Chris Coxon of Marquette, Michigan, and James Damon Mount Jr. and his wife Katie Mount of Dollar Bay, Michigan.
She was Grammy to Ava and Casey Polkinghorne, Sophie Coxon, and Mabel and Celia Mount, and truly loved being a Grammy.
She is also survived by her siblings: Karen Budde (Pat), Jerry Palmer (Ann), and Jean Kujawa (James, deceased), as well as two nieces and two nephews.
Deborah was preceded in death by her parents, Gerald and Virginia Palmer.
She will be remembered in the hearts of her family.
An intimate family celebration of her life will be held this summer.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

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