Our precious Debbie left us suddenly after emergency surgery at Grande Prairie Regional Hospital on Nov. 29, 2024. Our family is comforted to know she is resting in peace and safe with her Heavenly Father. We look forward to reuniting on Resurrection Day.
Deborah Kay “Debbie” Sanders was born to William Robert Bailey and Lila Lee Moore Bailey on Sept. 30, 1951 in Pendleton.
Hermiston, a community well known for their watermelons, is where Debbie grew up. The eldest of three girls, this sister had a lifetime of unconditional love for her younger siblings. Throughout her youth she had an inseparable bond with Aunt Trudy, who was born a few months after her arrival. At age 15 Debbie was baptized, and her love for Jesus, Our Lord and Redeemer, grew more and more every day. Debbie attended Gem State Adventist Academy in Caldwell, Idaho for her senior year and graduated with honors. This is also where she met her future Canadian husband.
On the snowy afternoon of Dec. 20, 1970, Debbie married her high school sweetheart, Ron Sanders in the Hermiston SDA Church. Days later, the newlyweds crossed the border and started their life together in Vancouver, British Columbia. Within the year they moved to Rutland, BC and settled there for the next four years. Debbie’s first bundle of joy, Andrea arrived in May 1972. The family moved to Fort McMurray, AB in 1976 and then two years later moved southwest to Grande Prairie, AB. In 1981, property was purchased in DeBolt, AB. The couple soon went to work building their own home mortgage free and had been residing in the community since 1982. Her second bundle of joy, Sonny, was born in June 1986.
Debbie, child of God, daughter, granddaughter, niece, sister, wife, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, mom, aunt, mother-in-law, neighbor and friend lived a very full life and had varied employment. In her early 20s, this included being a mailroom clerk, extended care provider and waitress. After moving to Grande Prairie, Debbie went to work full time alongside Ron as a drywall applicator. In the 1980s, she was one of the first ladies to have a membership in the Carpenter and Lathers Union. Notable projects Debbie worked on were the Grande Prairie Provincial Building and Courthouse, the QEII Hospital, Crystal Park School, the Fairview RCMP detachment and building and the Fairview College dormitory. Debbie hung up her toolbelt in 1986 to be a full-time caregiver with Sonny as his health was compromised. As his health improved, she began volunteering at MacKenzie Place with palliative care program and hymn-sing services, as well as the Salvation Army soup kitchen. Years later she re-entered the workforce as a grocery courtesy clerk, donation store clerk and lastly a product demonstrator.
Writing and journaling became a passion in 1990 with “Dimensions of Love,” her ministry legacy. Debbie was an advocate for persons with disabilities and their families. Her faith, advocacy and political journeys were shared often with family, friends, acquaintances, faith leaders and politicians throughout Canada and the U.S. Debbie was a contributing and published author with the SDA Women’s Daily Devotional Series (1993-present), whose readership is worldwide. Her poetry has international recognition. In June 2003, Debbie became a Canadian citizen. She was proud to be both American and Canadian.
Debbie’s smile was beautiful. Her empathy and compassion were remarkable, touching many hearts with her love prints. Debbie will be forever loved and remembered by family and friends: her husband of nearly 54 years, Ron; children, Andrea (Bill) and Sonny; mother, Lila (93 years young); sisters, Beth (Dean) and Janet (Jess); nephews and nieces, Terry (Rita), Lora (Ryan), Heidi, Shara, Jessica (Tim), Kory (Amanda), Jarrod (Miranda) and Wyatt; sisters-in-law, Delores (Les) and Dianne; aunts, Dorothy, Daisy, Alverna, Marie, Judy, Carol and Rosalee; and numerous cousins.
She was preceded in death by her father, Bob; stepfather, Bill; aunts and uncles, Goldie, Keith, Cherry, JD, Wade, Trudy, Edward, Kenny, Betty, Bobby,
Sylvan, Mark, Tony, and Luke; Ron’s parents, Alex and Vera Sanders; and brother-in-law, Paul.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025 at 1 p.m. at the Irrigon Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Please share memories of Debbie with her family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is helping with local services.
