Debra L. Walz, of Lincoln, NE, passed away after battling cancer on Wednesday September 17th surrounded by her family.
She was born February 17, 1954 in Omaha, NE to Harold (Jake) and Jeanette (Jen) Wattles (Johnson). She grew up in Friend, NE, Walnut, IA, and Lincoln, NE. She graduated from Lincoln High in 1972, and attended the University of Nebraska. She became a Certified Alcoholism and Drug Counselor (CADAC) and worked for Houses of Hope, the Independence Center, and St. Monica's. Later she worked as a lactation consultant for MilkWorks and spoiling babies for Fingerprints Child Care. She was a member of Golden Retriever Rescue In Nebraska, where she was a board member and evaluated new homes for rescued goldens. She was a group leader for La Leche Leauge, and a member of The Write Stuff poetry and writing group. She was a friend of Bill W. for 35 years, and a member of Alanon and Alateen. She was a published poet with the Plain Song Review, read her poetry at the South Mill, and an abstract artist who was featured at The Crescent Moon in 2013. She was an avid gardener who loved roses and lilacs, and loved spending time on her deck with her goldens.
She married Daniel J. Walz on December 6th, 1980, and they were married for nearly 34 years. They had four daughters and two sons. She loved spending time with her with her family, watching movies or football, and especially taking trips to her spiritual home at Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. She enjoyed drinking coffee with friends and sharing with them on Facebook.
Deb is survived by her husband, Dan, her children, Casey Ketterer and husband Jason (Omaha, NE), Erin Kavan-Spiegel (Denver, CO), Andrew Walz and wife Cara (Lincoln, NE), Samantha Walz (Lincoln, NE), and her goldens Sasha and Gunner. She was also survived by her sisters Melanie Stubblefield, Judy Donald, and Debbie Rene Cheever all of Lincoln. She had 9 grandchildren, Dylan, Grant, and Carter Spiegel of Denver, CO, Colin, Garrett, and Easton Ketterer of Omaha, NE, and Sydney, Jackson, and Emma Walz of Lincoln, NE. Preceded in death by her parents Jake and Jen Wattles, daughter Lindsey Kate Walz, son Christian Marcus Walz, and her beloved dogs, Woita, Shammy, Max, Sophie, and Selka.
An open house celebration of her life will be held at Antlers Center at 2501 South St. Lincoln, NE (27th and Sheridan) from 2-5pm on Saturday September 27th, 2014. Cremation, no visitation. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Golden Retriever Rescue In Nebraska PO Box 126 Boys Town, NE 68010.
Her creativity, inspirational attitude, beautiful compassionate soul, and joy for life will be missed dearly by all of her family and friends. She left us beautiful memories, her love is still our guide, although we cannot see her, she'll be forever by our side.
One of Deb's favorite poems...
The Summer Day by Mary Oliver
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
