TORRINGTON – The world lost a free spirit, good soul, and fighter on August 5, 2024, he day tropical storm Debby hit landfall. Deborah Marie Pederson lived life to the fullest and on her own terms. She ran away from home at only 15, lied her way into a job, opened her own businesses, and dedicated her life to others and especially, to her family both blood and chosen.
Deborah “Debbie” was born in Baltimore, Maryland on August 19, 1961. Growing up in Long Beach California with her 3 siblings, she loved the ocean and was a good swimmer. After she ran away from home, she made it to Denver, Colorado when she ran out of money, so she lied about her age and got a job working at a car detailing shop. The owner saw that Debbie was a hard worker and let her stay at the shop. It was here she taught herself to drive a stick shift when the boss told her to run an errand in his car. The errand took a long time...
When she left Denver, her car broke down in Casper where she got a job with a small landscaping company. The old man took her in as family, and they spent most of their working days drinking coffee at cafes. Debbie fell in love with Wyoming and made it her home. She married Joe Bertrand and had two kids, Kimberly and Christopher. After they divorced, she opened an in-home daycare. She was reunited with her younger sister, Diane, who moved in and soon had kids of her own too! Debbie “Scooter” and Diane “BooBoo” played together on a softball team.
Debbie remarried and moved to Torrington with her two kids and worked in group homes caring for the mentally disabled. She took college classes for Appliance Repair and was one math class away from her childhood education associate’s degree. After 12 years of marriage, Debbie and Don Arnold separated and he died tragically shortly after.
Debbie bought a house and worked two jobs while her kids were in high school. She bought a white two door Camaro that she loved but was rear ended and the car was totaled in 2002, causing neck and back pain ever after. She never talked about that pain though, which was a testament and foreshadow to her strength.
Debbie married Maynard Pederson in 2004 and moved to Lingle. There she had an in-home daycare, My Lil’Munchkins. Debbie raised the daycare kids from babies to school age when she decided to close. Debbie was widowed in 2017 when Maynard died of a brain tumor.
Debbie then went on to work in environmental services at Regional West in Scottsbluff where she earned many achievements, including multiple stars of the quarter and star of the year. She quit to work closer to home, working in environmental services at the care center in Torrington before becoming manager of EVS, but her passion was tending to the Alzheimer’s floor, interacting with patients and staff.
In February 2023, she was told she had stage four pancreatic cancer and would only live for three months. In March, she found out she was going to be a grandma. She fought for 1.5 years doing chemo treatments to meet her 1st grandbaby. There were many ups and downs, but she never complained. She was able to go on trips with loved ones and spend time with the people she cared about most. She loved showing off her daughter’s pregnant belly to all the nurses at the treatment facilities and telling them about her future grandbaby. Debbie was a favorite patient wherever she went. Winning people over with her humor and good attitude. In December, she got to meet her granddaughter Lainey and spent the next seven months watching her grow.
Deborah Marie Pederson: widow to Maynard. Mother to Kim and Chris, Grandma to Lainey. Mother-in-law to Emma and Tommy, Sister to David. Aunt to Anna, Roni, Ky and Kenny. Extended family includes Brenda, Jordin, Jeadin, and Jazlynn; Justin, Cindy and Tiffany; Lori, Tom, and Tracey.
She was given three months to live and fought for one and a half years. She was a fighter until the end, living on her own the entire time. Independent, hardworking, and stubborn. She spent most of her life caring for others, whether at her daycare or in group homes. Her children were her number one priority. She enjoyed embarrassing her kids and being goofy. Debbie was a private person, a shit-giver, and when she was mad, she would go for a long drive. She was a prankster, avid reader, and gardener. Her yard was always immaculate. Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday, she would host, and everyone was welcome. She loved giving gifts, watching Disney movies, Animal Planet, roses, puzzles, cooking, baking, computer games, diamond art, books, and her pets. She cared deeply for her family, blood and chosen. She will be missed.
A celebration of life will be held on September 7, 2024, between 12-5 p.m. at the Lingle Community Center. Please come share happy memories. Food will be provided. BYOB though Debbie’s favorite Bermuda drink, a rum swizzle, will be provided. Any donations will be put towards a memorial bench to be placed at the Alzheimer’s care center in Torrington.
