Deborah Rose Ballast

Deborah Rose Ballast
April 26, 1956 – April 21, 2019

Less than one week shy of her 63rd birthday, Deborah Rose Ballast left this world peacefully on the morning of April 21, 2019 at her home in Aurora. Debbie was a rare and special soul who possessed a remarkably kind heart and a level of caring that extended to all her family and friends.

Debbie was born on April 26, 1956 in Kansas City, Kansas. She was the fourth of six children born to parents Bob Huntington and Jobelle Huntington (née Anderson). The family spent her younger years in the Kansas City area before heading west when she was ten to put down new roots in Colorado. Aurora became her new home and she spent the rest of her life living in the Denver metro area.

A few years later on August 13, 1973, she gave birth to her only child: son Kenneth Martin Ballast. While her marriage to Marty's father did not last long, Marty would remain her pride and joy throughout her life. Mother and son enjoyed a special relationship and valued their time together right up until the evening before her passing.
In the 1980s, she began a relationship with Randy Nelson. Debbie and Randy spent the better part of 20 years together, with their family of three enjoying some of the happiest times of her life. While they never married, Debbie and Randy were together up until his passing in 2002.

Her life's journey included more significant health issues than one person should have to face, as she was forced to show her strength on numerous occasions. Debbie beat cancer twice (she was first diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma when she was 27 and then fought stomach cancer 20 years later), survived a serious motorcycle crash that left her with a broken neck, and outlived a whole host of doctor's predictions before finally allowing herself to rest.

These physical ailments never did dampen her spirit, however. She felt at home in the mountains and loved hiking, fishing and collecting heart-shaped rocks. She enjoyed crocheting, gardening and watching the birds build nests from her patio. At her housekeeping jobs at Bethesda Hospital and Harvard Square Assisted Living, she took great joy in getting to know the patients/residents and helping them out any way she could.

Debbie was selfless and genuine; focusing her recent energy on caring for her mother's failing health while brushing aside her own health issues. With her final task complete as her mother passed away, she followed Jobelle to the Lord's side only 44 days later. Some of her most valued moments in recent years were spent with her grandchildren, who provided her with a great deal of joy and pride.

Debbie is survived by her son Marty (Brianna), grandchildren Kiersten, Destiney, Austin and Aiden, father Bob Huntington (Joyce), siblings Rob Huntington (Cathy), Pam Olson, Dora Swanson (Tom), Timmy Huntington and Curtis Huntington (Leigh Ann), and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother Jobelle Huntington, longtime (boyfriend/common-law husband/partner/love) Randy Nelson and nephew Tommy Swanson.

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