Debra Allen, 68
Debra Allen, age 68 of Ionia, died Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, at MercyOne New Hampton Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, at Harvest Church, New Hampton, with Pastor Doug Harvey officiating.
Interment will be at a later date at the New Hampton City Cemetery.
Friends may greet the family from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton.
Online condolences for the Allen family may be left at hugebackfuneralhome.com.
Debra was born on Feb. 19, 1953, to Roger and Josephine (Lorang) Phillips in Waterloo, and she grew up as part of a large family — Debra was in the “middle” of the couple’s 15 children — in Gilbertville.
She received her education in Catholic schools and was a member of the Class of 1971 at Don Bosco High School, and after graduation, she worked at the Amana Colonies and as a telephone operator.
Debra met Darwin Allen through family members, and the two hit it off, began dating, fell in love and were married on March 22, 1975, at what was known as First Baptist Church and is now Harvest Church in New Hampton.
The couple raised their four children — Carver, Matthew, Christine and Megan — in their Ionia home, and the Allen kids had a mother who could do everything. When they came home from school, there were always fresh-baked cookies waiting for them. She could cook anything. She made beautiful quilts. She sewed clothes for her daughters’ dolls. Debra provided incredible support to her children, and they knew Mom always had their back and they could go to her with any problem and receive unconditional love.
In 1994, Debra accepted the position as office manager at New Hampton Chiropractic, and she and Dr. Paul Ewert made a great team. She loved talking with Dr. Paul’s patients and cared deeply about them, not just as patients but as people, too. She worked at the clinic for 24 years before retiring in 2018.
Debra love holidays and she would prepare gorgeous meals, and everyone was welcome at her table. If someone had no place to spend a holiday, she welcomed them to her family’s home with open arms.
You see, that was Debra in a nutshell. She was kind, compassionate, a giver, and a person who made sure her family and friends had everything they needed. Sometimes, it might be a big thing — helping someone through a tough time. Other times, it was the little things, like when Debra sold home interiors when her children were young. She’d remove the items and give the boxes to her children, who made forts out of them.
She adored her nine grandchildren — who were born between 1999 and 2018 — and she loved visiting them and supporting them at all of their activities.
Debra made amazing quilts for all of her children and grandchildren, and those quilts represent the love she had for all of them. Today, we know the Allen children and grandchildren are holding those quilts tight and feeling the love their mom and grandmother had for them.
She baked pies for her brothers and sisters every year on their birthdays, and the jelly she made and the cinnamon rolls she baked were simply amazing.
Time, though, was the greatest gift she bestowed. Your interests were her interests, and she genuinely cared about everyone — from her husband to her children to her grandchildren to the patients at the clinic she served so long and so well. The world will be a little less bright without Debra Allen.
Debra is survived by her husband of 46 1/2 years, Darwin of Ionia; two sons, Carver (Arren) of Dunkerton, and Matt (Ashley) of Belmond; two daughters, Christine (Mike) Gilstrap of Waverly, and Megan (Brian) Dirksen of Clive; nine grandchildren; brothers, Randy (Shirley) Phillips, Rick (Linda) Phillips, Steve (Michele) Phillips, Tim (Terry) Phillips, and Scott (Lori) Phillips; and sisters, Kathy (Ross Schilling) Phillips, Pat (Mike) Jump, Gail (Ken) Fencl, Ruth (Larry) Roths, Ronda (Tim) Moody, and Nancy (Paul) Post.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Kevin and Mark, and sister MaryJo.
