Robert Debner Obituary

Robert "Bob" Debner
March 28, 1947
January 31, 2024

Robert Allen Debner of Colorado Springs passed away on January 31, 2024 after gallantly battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma for a year and a half. He was born on March 28, 1947 in Ladysmith, Wisconsin to Michael and Helen (Schmidt) Debner. He spent his school age years in Bruce, Wisconsin, graduating from Bruce High School in 1965. In 1969 he was awarded a BS in Industrial Education from Stout State University in Menomonie, Wisconsin. After graduation he taught Middle School Industrial Arts for a period of time then in 1972 joined Farmers Insurance Group as a Safety Engineer in the Aurora, Illinois Regional Office. In 1975 he transferred to Farmers Home Office in Los Angeles, California and ultimately retired there after 20 years of service. His Risk Management career continued as he then spent 10 years at Universal Studios in Hollywood, California and several more at Airport Group International and Zurich Insurance. Bob often said that in retrospect he never actually worked a day in his life because he loved his chosen career. He loved the challenges it brought, the people he met along the way, and the places he saw as he traveled the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America. Bob felt truly blessed by those who chose to mentor him, but also lucky were those that he himself chose to mentor.

Bob loved life and lived it fully. Family and friends always came first and were blessed to be the recipients of his infinite love, wisdom and unending sense of humor. His deep faith, sense of curiosity and thirst for knowledge defined his life. He loved people and never met a stranger. He would talk to anyone and everyone he encountered and always walked away feeling enriched by the experience.

On any given day Bob could be found either hard at work in his woodshop, in the kitchen preparing new recipes for family and friends, tending his garden, golfing, or on the phone helping someone who called for encouragement or advice. Extra special were the times he spent with his family in Wisconsin, reliving childhood memories, gardening, canning, helping with chores on the farm and best of all, sitting atop a Farmall tractor cutting hay.

Left behind to cherish his memory are Karen, his wife of 35 years; his step-son Bryan Barcelon; four grandchildren, Mara, Cayce, Aspen and Alyciah; two great grandchildren, Arlo and Zebulon; brother Ron (Linda) Debner of Chetek, Wisconsin; sister-in-law Linda Debner of Sylvania, Ohio; sister-in-laws Kathy Hainds of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Dani (Mike) Hainds of Green Mountain Falls, Colorado; brother-in-law Curtis (Brandie) Hainds of Colorado Springs and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents Michael and Helen Debner and brothers Mick and Greg.

Bob loved life and left this world with no regrets. We thank him for enriching our lives. Since he refused to ever say goodbye, we leave him with a very loud "See you later!"

Per Bob's request no formal service will be held. He will be laid to rest in Wisconsin later this summer.