Deborah Lee Voelker

Deborah Lee Voelker, 63, of Globe, passed away Thursday, April 21st, 2011, in the presence of her family at Banner Gardens Hospice in Mesa, AZ. Debbie was born in Danville, IL on May 7, 1947, the daughter of Delbert Burdett and Patricia Ann Wiebusch. Debbie, (Grandma Dobby, as her grandkids referred to her) loved teaching, learning, and spending time with her family. You could always find her with a book in hand as she was an avid reader. She grew up in Vermilion Grove with her two younger brothers, Noble and Steve and her older sister, MaryAnn. Debbie married a Navy man, Dennis Voelker, in 1969 in Hawaii. She had two children and was always very involved in their lives, even as they became adults. She was a soccer mom, band mom, an umpire for baseball and softball games, a Cub Scout Leader and Girl Scout Volunteer. As her children grew, and after her divorce in 1981, she decided to return to college. In 1991 she graduated from Northern Arizona University with her bachelors in Early Childhood Education K-12 with a dual degree in Special Education. She received her Masters in Education Administration from the University of Phoenix. She began her teaching career as a kindergarten teacher in the Miami Unified School District. She taught in many school districts throughout her career both in regular and Special Ed (Dysart in West Phoenix; Clark County in Las Vegas, NV; Arizona State Dept of Corrections in both Phoenix and Florence). Even after she retired from the Arizona State Dept of Corrections in 2010 she decided to continue her love of teaching and she finished out her career at San Carlos High School. Her students were an extension of her family and she considered them all her “kids”. Even as the years went by she would often be approached by one of her previous students, and/or parents, and they would always have wonderful things to say about her. Most important to her was her family, and she cherished each and every one of them. As a grandmother of six she was remarkable. She loved, nothing more than, being a grandma, and was just as involved with them as she was with her own children. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She was preceded in death by her parents, Delbert and Patricia Wiebusch, and sister, MaryAnn Yoshisato. She is survived by her children, Denise L. Hansen (Scott), Daniel L. Voelker (Jeannette); grandchildren, Dylan and Katelyn Hansen, and Samantha, Brenden, Madison and Tabitha Voelker; brothers, Noble and Steve Wiebusch and many extended family and friends. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 3:00pm at The Church Of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints, Globe Stake Center: 1701 Ensign St. Off N. Hwy 60, Globe, AZ Assisting the family; Lamont Mortuary of Globe. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations may be made to the Miami Unified School District, 4739 East Ragus Road, Miami, AZ 85539 or Globe Unified School District, 401 S High St, Globe, AZ 85501