Deborah Lynn Wilson

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Deborah "Debbie" Lynn Wilson. Debbie passed away peacefully Friday, May 5, 2023 at the age of 59 after a fierce battle with pancreatic cancer.
Debbie was born March 15, 1964 in Munich, Germany to parents, Gene and Sally Wilson. Her father was a career U.S. Army officer, and Debbie moved frequently with her family throughout the U.S. and Europe.
She attended Mt. Vernon H.S. in Alexandria, Va. and graduated from El Camino Real H.S. in Woodland Hills, Calif. She attended UCLA for her undergraduate studies, obtaining her Economics degree in 1987.
Debbie earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Denver College of Law in 1993. She won the American Jurisprudence Award her first year in law school for Contracts. After law school, Debbie clerked for the Honorable Judge Charles Thompson and practiced law in Las Vegas before returning to Denver, joining Springman, Braden, Wilson, and Pontius, P.C. in 1997, and later becoming the managing partner of the firm.
Debbie was a member of the Colorado State Bar Association, the local Denver Bar Association, AAMD, RMHA, NARPM, and sat on the board of the Colorado Creditor's Bar Association. She was a graduate of the Colorado Institute of Leadership Training and the former chairperson for the national ABA GP/Solo Real Estate Group. Debbie was a strong advocate for property owners of all types and community associations. She received a lifetime achievement award from RMHA and in 2020 was inducted into the AAMD Hall of Fame.
She was very active in local community and legislative affairs and spoke frequently to professional organizations on real estate related subjects, including training CAM certification candidates on Fair Housing. She also routinely taught the annual Crime Free Multi-housing certification programs for local police departments. A frequent face at the Colorado State Capitol, Debbie testified regularly during legislative sessions on landlords related issues, advocating for the rights of landlords and mobile home communities throughout Colorado.
Debbie received numerous awards during her distinguished 30 year career. She was recently awarded the 2022 Housing Carrier Award, 2021-22 Exceptional Volunteerism Medal, the Sword of the Truth, the 2020 Crushing Curve Balls out of the Park, Louisville Slugger, the 2019 Going to Bat for the Apartment Industry, Louisville Slugger, 2016 Person of the Year and person of the month of April 2015 and June 2019. Since 2017, Debbie was consistently named a 5280 Top Lawyer.
Debbie was preceded in death by her father, LTC (Ret) Gene Raymond Wilson, in 1996.
She leaves behind her beloved family: mother, Sally O'Neill Wilson; sister, Beth Wilson (David) Scherer; brothers, William "Bill" (Amy) Wilson, and Keith (Jennifer) Wilson; nephew and nieces, Ross (Mali) Richardson; Lauren (Josh) Bosak; Andrew Wilson; Jonathan "Jonny" Wilson; James Wilson; Annie Wilson; Archer Wilson; and grandniece, Madi Richardson. Her other "family" includes her long time friends from high school and college, her work colleagues, Venice (the band) members and "groupies", neighbors, close friends, and her pets - Beau, Julio, and Paco.
Debbie enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest. She had an indomitable spirit and zest for life. She was an avid world traveler who loved spending time with friends, vacationing with family, going on adventures (skydiving, scuba diving, and last minute road trips), drinking good wine, and dining at family-owned restaurants. Debbie loved music and dancing, sending surprises to friends and family, helping everyone with legal advice, planting and caring for her garden and flowers, sending and receiving cards, loving on her pets, serving on community committees, teaching classes or lecturing, and spending endless hours promoting her beloved law firm and the rights of landlords. Debbie was not only brilliant, she was fierce in the courtroom.
Debbie accepted and loved people from all walks of life. She was well respected, believed in living life fully, and was a rock to all that knew her. She will be missed and left an impact on all of us lucky enough to know her.
Her bright light and big heart left us too soon, but we will remember her warmth, love, and generosity.