Deborah (Debbie) Diane Bartels was born February 6, 1960, in Kalamazoo Michigan to Delmore and Lorna (Roberts) Conley. She attended Galien High School and Twin Cities Beauty College and went on to make the world a more beautiful place as a hairdresser in the Stevensville / St. Joseph area for more than 40 years. Debbie was a staple in the community, building decades-long relationships with her clients. She co-owned Bartels & Amp; Jane Hair Salon in Stevensville until she retired in 2021. Debbie married the love of her life on April 30, 1988, and they have enjoyed 35 years together building homes, boating, playing darts, traveling, golfing, and their most recent adventure led them to build their forever home in a beautiful golf community in Tennessee.
Debbie loved to golf, read, garden and especially loved to spend time playing with her grandchildren. She could also be found in the stands at the Hartford Speedway whenever her husband was racing despite the fact that she brought home most of the dirt from the track with her each time. She was always there for whatever her family needed and was their true anchor. Anyone who knew Debbie, knew her smile and felt her kindness. She will be dearly missed but forever on the hearts of everyone she touched.
Debbie is survived by her husband Brett of Crossville, TN, father Delmore Conley of Galien, MI, mother- in-law, Gibby Bartels of Crossville, TN, children: Candice (Jason) Cleveland of South Bend, IN and Jerimiah (Amy) Sullivan of Illinois, nieces Rachel Conley of Niles, MI, Brandy (Ben) Resor of Mishawaka, IN and Shawn (Alysse) Woods of New York, grandchildren Bryton Sullivan, Bailey Sullivan and Aralynn Sullivan of Memphis TN, Deborah Warnke, Cole Cleveland and Alec Cleveland of South Bend IN.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Lorna Conley; siblings David Conley and Shelly Garman and father-in-law, Richard Bartels.