Debbie A. Heller

Darby - Debbie A. Heller, 55, of Darby died on natural causes on October 10, 2009 at St. Patrick's Hospital.

She was born in Plum City, Wisconsin on September 7, 1954 as the fourth of five children to Edwin Eugene and Catherine Helen (Manor) Heller. In 1967, the family moved to Hamilton, Montana. Debbie graduated from Hamilton High School in 1972. After high school, she moved to Astoria, Oregon and joined her brother, Mark, and his family while he served in the US Coast Guard. During her years in Oregon she developed a passion for ocean perch fishing, beaches, light houses, and sea shells. She returned to Montana in 1977 where she started employment at Mountain Bell as a telephone operator in Helena and was later transferred to Hamilton and continued at Qwest until retirement in 2005.

She enjoyed camping, fishing (both summer and winter), hiking and spending time with family. She expressed her creativity by refinishing furniture, arranging flowers, painting ceramics, making candles and beading. Debbie's passion for finding hidden treasures in the ocean led her to sapphire hunting. She was an avid bargain hunter, loved getting the best deals, and could negotiate with the best of them! Although she had no children, she found joy in all her nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Debbie enjoyed traveling to distant and exotic shores where she could search for shells, pearls, and enjoy light houses. She had a soft spot for black dogs with brown eyes, adopting four of her own over the years. Debbie bravely struggled with her declining health the last few years.

She was predeceased by her sister, Nancy, her brother, Steve, and her nephews Eric and Ryan.

She is survived by her parents, Ed and Catherine at the family home in Hamilton; her brothers, Mark (Amy) of Stevensville, and Mike (Mary Rose) of Helena; her nieces, Michelle (Chris) Currier of Kalispell, Jennifer (Justin) Olson of Spokane, WA, Sara (Kyle) Krueger of Oklahoma City, OK, and Rebecca Heller of Missoula; nephews, Brandon (Stefanie) Petersen of Austin, TX, Matt Heller of Kalispell, and Matt Heller of Helena, along with many aunts, uncles and cousins in Wisconsin and Minnesota. She shared the joy of her great nieces, Isabelle and Natalie Petersen, and Janessa Olson and her great nephews Chandler and Caleb Currier.