Debra Ruth Layman-Weiler

In Loving Memory of Debra Ruth Layman

With profound sadness and broken hearts, we announce the passing of Debra Ruth Layman, who was born on June 17, 1961, in Chicago, Illinois, and passed away on July 17, 2026, surrounded by the people she loved most.

Deb was a remarkable woman whose life was defined not by recognition or praise, but by the countless ways she cared for others. She had a strength that could carry people through difficult times, a generosity that seemed to have no limits, and a heart that was always willing to make room for one more person, one more animal, or one more person in need.

There are people who quietly make the world a better place simply by being in it. Deb was one of those people.

Deb grew up in the small town of Mercer, Wisconsin, where she and her family cared for a wildlife refuge. Her love for animals and nature began early and remained a meaningful part of who she was throughout her life. She had a special gift with animals-even those most people would be afraid to approach. She could sit inside the wolf enclosure, completely at ease, and the wolves seemed to sense something special in her. She understood them, and they trusted her. That connection was a reflection of Deb herself: strong, fearless, compassionate, and deeply connected to the world around her.

A proud Marine, Deb served her country for two years and carried the values of the Marine Corps with her for the rest of her life. Her commitment to service continued when she went to work for the Secretary of the Navy. She approached life with strength, determination, and integrity. Whatever challenge stood in front of her, Deb faced it head-on. Giving up was simply not in her nature.

Her calling to care for others also led her into nursing. Throughout her career, Deb cared for people in hospital settings, hospice, home health, and correctional nursing, and she eventually shared her knowledge through nursing education. But caring was never simply something Deb did for a living. Caring was part of her soul. She gave comfort when people were frightened, strength when they were struggling, and compassion when they needed it most.

But of all the things Deb accomplished in her life, nothing meant more to her than the people she loved.

She was a devoted wife to Laurie, a loving mother to Rebecka, a proud grandmother to Grayden and Lillie, a loving sister to Cheryl, and a cherished mother-in-law to Jarren. Her family was her greatest source of joy, and she loved them fiercely. She was the person who would show up, stand beside you, help you, defend you, and give whatever she could to make life a little easier for the people she loved.

If you knew Deb, you knew her laugh. You knew her stubborn streak. You knew that when she believed in something-or someone-she stood her ground. But most of all, you knew her enormous heart.

Deb was hardworking, fiercely independent, incredibly generous, and sometimes wonderfully loud. She could be quiet and thoughtful, or she could fill a room with laughter. She didn't always need to say much to let you know how she felt. Her actions spoke for her. She loved deeply, protected fiercely, and gave generously.

For Laurie, Rebecka, Grayden, Lillie, and everyone who loved her, the hardest part of losing Deb is knowing there will never be another person quite like her. There will be moments when her family will instinctively want to call her, tell her something, hear her laugh, or simply have her there. And in those moments, they will feel just how deeply she is missed.

But Deb's love does not end with her passing.

It lives on in the people she cared for, the lives she touched, the animals she protected, the lessons she taught, and the memories she created. It lives on in her daughter's heart, in the stories her grandchildren will grow up hearing, and in the love she shared with Laurie. It lives on every time someone chooses compassion over indifference, courage over fear, or generosity over keeping something for themselves.

Deb gave so much of herself to the people and world around her. She leaves behind a legacy of love that cannot be measured and will never be forgotten.

She is lovingly survived by her wife, Laurie Carlson; her daughter, Rebecka Price; her husband, Jarren; along with their children, Grayden and Lillie; her stepdaughters, Rochelle Frink; her husband, Matt, and Corrie Peeler; her sister, Cheryl Flesch (Michael); as well as her loving family and friends who will forever cherish her memory.

She was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed. Deb will remain forever in the hearts of those fortunate enough to have called her wife, mother, stepmother, grandmother, sister, or friend-and simply Deb.