Obituary of Debra Jeanne Malcolm

Debra Jeanne (Miller) Malcolm, 67, of Farmington, MN, passed away Tuesday, March 14th, 2023 surrounded by her family. Born in Minneapolis, Debbie spent most of her youth in the Apple Valley area with a brief three-year period living in Phoenix, AZ. When Debbie returned to Apple Valley in 1972, she met her future husband and love of her life, Greg. The stories of their time together working at Dairy Queen and Jack in the Box became legendary, and they would continue to share these stories with their children and grandchildren for years to come. Debbie and Greg married in 1973 at Grace Lutheran Church in Apple Valley and welcomed their daughter Michelle the following year. In 1976, Debbie and the family decided to move to Arizona where the family grew as they welcomed Kristal, Brandon, and Jessica. It wasn’t long and Debbie had found her calling and purpose in life as she loved to be a mom. She lived for her children and family, working tirelessly and always putting the needs of others before her own. Deb’s love for her children as well as others, was her inspiration to begin her in-home daycare. It was no surprise she would eventually be known as the ‘neighborhood mom’.

Debbie prided herself and told stories to anyone who would listen of how she taught her children to swim before they could walk. The family enjoyed poolside days for about three years when Debbie and Greg decided to return to Minnesota to be closer to family. They traded in their swimsuits and sunscreen for ice skates and mittens. Debbie would then teach her children to ice skate and enjoyed family time building snow forts. Debbie loved to be involved with her children and supported them in any and all ways she could. She was a Brownie and Girl Scout leader for years. She was fond of sewing and often made clothes for her children and even their dolls. It was also tradition that Deb would sew her children’s Halloween costumes year after year. Deb spent hours turning each into a masterpiece creation that her children proudly wore. She was their biggest cheerleader at softball, baseball, football games and wrestling matches, often going from game to game in the same day determined not to miss one opportunity to cheer her children on. What made her children happy, made her happy. She was their biggest fan…always. Deb loved her children, grandchildren, and great grandson passionately and would always light up whenever they came into the room.

Deb’s hobbies included gardening, playing boardgames/cards with her kids, and cooking. She was best known for her chicken and dumplings, manicotti, and turkey roasting pans full of tater tot hotdish and chicken and rice casserole. Her children thought her homemade holiday fudge was second to none and always said, ‘she never made enough’. She enjoyed turning on the radio to loud music and would dance and sing while cooking or cleaning around the house, singing every song word for word even if she had to make them up. Her children may have rolled their eyes and laughed as she sang into her invisible microphone, but they would also say those were some of their best memories growing up. Debbie loved her family traditions, making the Hobbit movie franchise one of them. Opening day of a new movie release meant family day at the theater where her family would all be together. And yes, she cried when Frodo had to say goodbye to Sam. Debbie’s last few years were highlighted by the addition of her latest fur baby, her Bernese Mountain Dog, Buddy. He truly was her ‘buddy’ and always by her side. She enjoyed playing cribbage with Greg on the front porch of their home, where she would beat him in nearly every game, but since she had such a heart of gold it was thought she may have lost a couple on purpose just to see her love smile as if he won on his own.

Debbie is survived by her husband of 50 years, Greg, daughter Michelle (Duane) Gachne, daughter Kristal (Ryan) Brugman, son Brandon (Tara) Malcolm, daughter Jessica (Rich) Swanson, father Jerry Miller and wife Deb, stepmother Joyce Mammenga, stepbrother Brian (Carol) Mammenga, stepbrother Jeff (John) Mammenga, stepbrother Jon (Gina) Mammenga, biological father Bill Fortune, brother Wayne Fortune, and grandchildren Darin Gachne, Caitlin Swanson, Emily Brugman, Corinne Swanson, Bryce Malcolm, Kaden Swanson, Brianna Malcolm, Brayden Malcolm, Brenton Malcolm, Brileigh Malcolm, and great-grandson Clyde Swanson.

Debbie is preceded in death by her sons Jason Malcolm and Greg Malcolm Jr, mother Gloria Olsen, brother Scott Miller, stepfather Darold Mammenga, stepmother Audrey Fortune, Grandparents Ed and Agnes Berg and many other extended family members and friends.

A celebration of life to honor Debbie will take place May 28th, 2023 at their family home in Farmington, MN.