Deborah Dianne "Debbie" Mullins Kinsey

Deborah "Debbie" Dianne Mullins Kinsey was born on Saturday June 6, 1953, in Bakersfield, California to Charles and Evelyn Mullins. She departed this plane on Saturday, November 25, 2023, after experiencing a series of health events.
Debbie's story is one of triumph amidst difficulty. She displayed an unparalleled ability to find optimism in the face of all forms of adversity, which was often on display in her poetry. A defining moment in her life occurred when her mother passed when she was only fifteen on the night of her first date. At 23, she again suffered loss when her father and beloved grandmother passed shortly after she gave birth to her daughter. Loss and the subsequent grief that came with it were not unfamiliar to her, but she turned them into catalysts for shaping her outlook on life and relationships with others.
Debbie lived most of her life in Austin and Fort Worth Texas, with brief stays in Arlington and Paris, Texas, and one year in Grove, Oklahoma. As a very adorable child, she was crowned Little Miss Fort Worth. She attended Castleberry High School in Fort Worth, Class of 1971, where she was the president of the Spanish Club. Throughout her young life, she maintained a close relationship with her maternal grandparents, Omer and Lillian Schultz.
In 1976, she became a mother, this would be the ultimate bond and drive in her life. As a single mother in the seventies and eighties, she always found a way to provide for her daughter. She had pride and fond memories of her time working for the City of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. While she worked to support her family financially, she also felt it important to instill in her daughter the importance of a strong mind and education. She attended college classes in her spare time to work toward her goal of a bachelor's degree.
In 1994, Debbie moved with her daughter to Austin, Texas, so Ellen could attend the University of Texas at Austin (UT). She initially took a position at the Austin American Statesman, but eventually realized her calling in the field of social work. With a newfound passion for life, she registered for classes at her beloved UT to complete her degree. In 1999, Deborah and Ellen finished their bachelor's degrees together. As Ellen left Texas for graduate school, she told her mom she would not return for a visit until she had taken the GRE so she too could attend graduate school. Debbie heeded the ultimatum, took the GRE, and applied to UT. In 2004, Deborah graduated with her Masters in Social Work. In 2005, she built her dream home in Austin, Texas.
She found her purpose in her career as a social worker and then as a psychotherapist. She touched many lives through her chosen profession utilizing the obstacles of her own life to relate back to her patients. She continued seeing patients through May of 2023 until health concerns forced her into what she saw as early retirement in August 2023.
Debbie is remembered as a talented poet who was often found reading her poetry around Austin. She thought of poetry as "the language of the human spirit".
Above all else, Debbie valued and enjoyed her time spent with her family. She traveled the world with her best friend, her daughter Ellen. She would sing her families' praises far and wide and never missed a gathering. She loved as strongly as she lived.
Deborah is survived by her loving daughter and son-in-law, Ellen and Darek Moskalik, her brother Gary Mullins, many loyal nieces, nephews, and extended family members, as well as countless friends. Deborah is predeceased in death by her mother and father, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
Old Soul, by Deborah Kinsey:
You sense you are bigger than all of this,
Knowing that heaven's shining pattern
Lies mapped in your very being.
The family encourages friends to attend the following on Saturday, December 16, 2023:
· 1 pm – Visitation at Harrell Funeral Home, 4435 Frontier Trail, Austin, TX 78745
· 2 pm – Funeral Service at Harrell Funeral Home
· 3:30 pm – Graveside burial at Onion Creek Memorial Park, 11610 Chapel Lane, Austin, TX 78748
· 5 pm – Gathering at the home of Darek and Ellen Moskalik – Directions will be provided at the service
Donations can be made in Deborah Kinsey's name to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or in her name to the charity of choice.