After her long 30-year fight with cancer, I announce the passing of my mom, Debbie Kohlruss on September 20th, 2024, at the age of 71 at the Prairie Lake Hospice.

Mom was born to Bill and Helen (nee Antoniuk) Kohlruss on October 22, 1952, in Westlock, AB. She was the oldest of four siblings. She tended to the house and her younger brothers while Grandpa and Grandma worked on the farm northeast of Clyde, AB. She often recalled baking every morning so she and her brothers would have a sweet treat in their lunches every day. This is probably where her love of baking came from. After graduating from school, Mom wanted to take business but decided banking was where she would land and began working at local branches in Edmonton, AB, and Westlock for many years.

While I was in grade 6, Mom was offered a job which had us move to Vermilion, AB, to manage the local auction mart. It wasn’t long after we moved, she was diagnosed with her first bout of cancer. Unable to fully care for us both, we made the move back to Westlock to be closer to her family.

In 1995, we moved to Grande Prairie, AB, where she would take a job at RBC. Mom was ‘cancer free’ for the next five years. Two weeks before I was to graduate, it was back, and she had her thyroid removed. She would then have to endure treatments as she had years before.

Her greatest love of her life was her grandsons. Mom gave them both nicknames. Lukas was called ‘My Boy’ and Hudson was her ‘Joe’. She was always there for them. If it was for school performances, sporting events or just hanging out at the house; she never wanted to miss a minute with her boys.

In 2014, two weeks before grandson Hudson was born, Mom had her next cancer diagnosis. This time it was the removal of her kidney, and more treatments came.

Throughout the next few years, she was diagnosed with other cancers and more treatments ensued, which ultimately required her to retire and focus on herself. During her retirement, Mom was able to travel. She set off to the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Hawaii, Disney parks and Caribbean cruises, Arizona, among other stops along the way. If it involved warm beaches, cold cocktails, a little bit of shopping and most importantly family, she loved every minute of it. Just a couple years ago, Mom and I were able to take a special trip to Honolulu just the two of us.

Mom leaves behind her daughter Tamara (Mitch) Bombier; grandsons: Lukas and Hudson; brothers: Garry (Lorena) Kohlruss and Tom (Aline) Kohlruss; sister-in-law Gwen Kohlruss; nephews Kelly, David, Jeffrey, Mathew, Quintin, Josh and Jordan; and niece Aria; as well as close cousins that were like sisters to her: Roseann and Joanne, Aunt Nora and Aunt Bernice along with the Bombier and Drysdale families that included her as their own.

She was predeceased by her parents and brother Ken.

I would like to thank all the nursing staff at the Prairie Lake Hospice and to Rosie and Gen with Home Care for their kindness, care, support and friendship you gave her during her last months. She always looked forward to your visits.

At Mom’s request, she did not want a funeral service but will be laid to rest beside her beloved father, Bill and brother, Ken.