Debra Baruth, age 61, of Alpena, died Wednesday, April 5, 2017, at the De Smet Good Samaritan Center, as the result of a traumatic brain injury. Her funeral service was held at 2:30 PM, Sunday, April 9th, at the Riverview United Methodist Church. Burial was in the Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.
Debra Kay Nelson was born September 24, 1955, to Palmer and Lucy (Gockowski) Nelson at the St. John's Hospital in Huron, South Dakota. She was the youngest of 11 children.
Debbie grew up in Huron, attending St. Martin's Catholic School and Jefferson School. She graduated from Huron High School in 1974.
In June of 1972, she married James Peck at Watertown. Together they had one daughter, JoAnn. The couple later divorced in 1978.
Debbie worked for Mesaba Airlines and Al's Red Owl, and then worked for the Huron School District until her retirement.
In March 2003, Debbie married Ronnie Baruth at Huron. Together they shared their lives farming in the Alpena area. They enjoyed traveling, camping and going to sprint car races. They cherished spending time with their families and especially their grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Clarence and Charley Nelson; two sisters, Adeline Bowen and Leona Lundeen; and one grandson, Alex Smith.
Grateful for sharing her life are her husband, Ronnie Baruth of Alpena; one daughter, JoAnn (Tony) Smith of Huron; and two grandchildren, Alyssa Smith and Aaron Smith, both of Huron. She is also survived by two sisters, Phyllis (Dean) Loeffelbein of Amarillo, Texas, Delores (Burton) Lounsbury of Huron; four brothers, Virgil (JoJo) Nelson of Aberdeen, Phillip Nelson of Morehead City, North Carolina, Ronnie (Ruth) Nelson of Huron and Loren (Rhonda) Nelson of Cavour; and many nieces and nephews.