Debra Kay Flaugh

HARTINGTON - Debra Kay Flaugh, 60, Hartington, died on March 8, 2021, at Abrazo Hospital in Phoenix, Ariz., due to post-COVID pulmonary complications.

Funeral services will be March 20, at 2 p.m., at the Hartington Public School Gymnasium, Hartington.

Burial will be in the Hartington City Cemetery.

Visitation will be Saturday, from 12 - 2 p.m., at the Hartington Public School Gymnasium. Facemasks and social distancing will be required at the funeral and visitation. To watch a live stream of the service, please visit www.facebook.com/WintzRay/ live Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington, NE.

Pallbearers will be Duane Grotz, Rod Snow, Donnie Klinetobe, Darwin Kirschenman, Jim Kleeb and Paul Veldkamp.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Gary Hauck, Mike Hauck, Earl Johnson, Scott Kinkaid, Kevin Kirschenman, Matt Johnson, Emmett Johnson and Keith Stubbe.

Deb was born Nov. 18, 1960 in Sacramento, Calif., to her adoptive mother, Adeline Rhodes, Lincoln. Deb grew up with her sister, Trudy, and enjoyed mischievous activities with their various family dogs, a monkey, and their prized ‘Radio Flyer’ red wagon. At the age of 12, Deb made the choice to be faithful to God and kept this lifelong vow to her last day. Deb attended Lincoln High School and continued her education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center where she earned a bachelor’s degree in clinical laboratory sciences. Deb began her career at Lincoln General Hospital laboratory and soon became director of the lab. She loved traveling with many of her church friends and planning get-togethers while attending college. Deb married Rodney Flaugh July 20, 1991, and they had two daughters, Rachel, 1995, and Hannah, 1996, of whom she was very proud. They hosted Sunday morning church services and Wednesday bible studies in their home for several years. Deb also attended annual church conventions where she loved to sing hymns, listen to the gospel, and make breakfast pastries to feed the masses.

Deb was graced with many talents including baking and cooking delicious foods, growing luscious plants in her yard and home, crafting, scrapbooking, playing musical instruments, planning vacations, and cleaning every speck of dust from the farm house. Deb worked in Hartington at the Avera Health Clinic laboratory and also enjoyed substitute teaching at several schools in northeast Nebraska. The lesson plans were always completed when Deb subbed and she had creative methods for keeping law and order in the classroom that students found entertaining.

During the last five and a half years of her life, Deb battled a rare form of sinus cancer and received treatment in Arizona. She gained encouragement from her daughters, husband, and many of her wonderful friends. During this time she maintained her love of teaching, traveling and crafting, as well as continued her hard work of keeping the Flaugh Family Farm up and running smoothly. She also found peace in reading books, gardening, searching for rare antiques, snuggling with her dachshund, Katie, and chatting on the phone with her daughters and friends.

Deb is survived by her husband, Rodney, rural Hartington, married for 30 years in July; two daughters, Rachel, Boston, Mass., and Hannah, Lincoln; sister, Trudy Zepf, Lincoln; niece, Sara Zepf; and nephews, Justin (Shawnie) Zepf and John Zepf, Lincoln.

Deb was preceded in death by her mother, Adeline Rhoads, January 2009; mother-in-law, Ruth Flaugh, November 2020; and father-in-law, Virgil Flaugh, January 2021, Hartington.