Deborah Diane "Dedi Cole" Skipper

Plans for a Celebration of Life service are pending at this time.

Deborah Diane Cole Skipper, known and beloved by all as Dedi, passed peacefully from this world January 27, 2026, three days before her 69th birthday, with her loving husband Mark by her side, following a long, courageous struggle with illness. Dedi was devoted to family and friends, and was our tireless caregiving angel for her entire adult life. We will always miss her beautiful smile and ever loving spirit, but know that they will live on in our hearts and that she's now wrapped in the everlasting arms of our Lord.

Dedi was born January 30, 1957, in Clovis NM, the second child of Clyde and Marcia Cole. In the first ten years of her life the family lived in Oklahoma City, Columbia SC, Enid OK, South Bend IN and finally settled in Tulsa early in 1967. She attended Tulsa Public Schools for three years, then moved to Jenks where she graduated in 1975. She attended Stephens College and Oklahoma State and lived in the Denver area and California before returning to Tulsa in the mid 80's, where she worked at Peaches and Sound Warehouse. In 1989 she had a blind date with Mark Skipper, who asked her to marry him before the evening ended. She declined that initial offer but a few months later they were married and remained dedicated, loving life partners for the better part of four decades. Mark and Dedi were true soulmates, and a rare example of a marriage that was also a successful business partnership, as they developed a home based business and traveled extensively. They also simultaneously raised a family and cared for aging parents. Dedi educated herself on all aspects of health and nutrition, including the complex health care and insurance system, and navigated in laws, parents and other relatives through their later years with grace and loving concern. From 2012 to 2022 she was the principal caregiver for her father (following a near fatal fall) and mother (during her battle with cancer).

Holy Ghost Canyon, in the Santa Fe National Forest near Pecos NM, was Dedi's spiritual home. Most summers she spent a month or more there, usually with her mother and other family members. She was vegan most of her life but could catch, clean, fry and devour a rainbow trout from the creek quicker than you could say Holy Ghost. She walked and hiked all over the canyon and was the primary caretaker of the historic cabin, built by her grandfather's hands and enjoyed by family for 70+ years.

Dedi loved the outdoors, cooking, all kinds of music, her many fur babies (including the legendary racoon Annie and friends) and working out at the gym, but above all she loved her family and friends. We cannot imagine a more devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter or aunt. She adored her ten nieces and nephews and happily spent time recently with her newborn great nephew. Rest in peace sweet sister, we'll see you in Holy Ghost Canyon in the spring!

Dedi is survived by husband Mark Skipper, son Jesse Skipper (Amanda) of Sand Springs, brother Clyde Cole of Tulsa, brother Doug Cole of Longmont CO, brother Mark Cole (Shona) of Magnolia TX, uncle V. Scott Johnson of Portales NM, three grandchildren, eleven nieces and nephews.