Travis Funeral Chapel

Debora “Debbie” Kay (Willis) Nicholson, resident of Seabrook, TX, passed away Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at the age of 66, surrounded by loved ones in her home following a two and a half year battle with cancer.

Debbie was born in Kirksville, MO on March 11, 1958, to the parents of Hubert and Carleta (Hamilton) Willis of Atlanta, MO. On December 19, 1981, she was united in marriage to Roderick Nicholson of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Debbie attended Atlanta High School until graduation where she went on to attend NMSU, now known as Truman State University in Kirksville, MO. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1980. She was employed at Moberly Regional Hospital until her marriage. She worked in various hospital settings in both Canada and the United States, with the last 23 years of her nursing career in perioperative services at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital in Houston, TX. She loved being a nurse, but above all else she loved being a mother and grandmother.

Debbie was a strong Christian who spent her life faithfully serving her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She will be remembered as a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, nurse, and friend. Her great enjoyments in life were spending time with family, reading, baking for others, and working as a nurse. She had a strong work ethic from growing up on a farm.

Debbie is preceded in death by her parents, Hubert and Carleta Willis; her parents-in-law, Merrill and Mary Nicholson; and two sisters-in-law, Janice Willis and Tamara Willis. She is survived by her husband, Roderick Nicholson; her children, Laura (Jeff) Dorman in Houston, TX; Joseph in Honolulu, HI; Jonathan in New Glasgow, PEI, Canada; Lisa (John) McClanahan in Pearland, TX; and Michelle (John) Wiersema in Houston, TX; four grandchildren, Gilbert, Elinor, and Estelle McClanahan and Aria Wiersema; six brothers, Jerry (Carol) Willis of Republic, MO, Tom (Kay) Willis of La Plata, MO, Jim (Rowena) Willis of Bevier, MO, Dan (Vera) Willis of Kirksville, MO, John (Anna) Willis of Humphreys, MO, and Mark Willis of Atlanta, MO; and one sister, Sherry (Mark) Russell of Cairo, MO.

Celebration of life services will be 1:30 pm Saturday, November 23, 2024, at the La Plata Christian Church in La Plata, Missouri. Burial will be in Mulberry Cemetery, northwest of Kirksville, Missouri.

Visitation will also be Saturday, November 23, 2024, with the family receiving friends from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm at the Christian Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in memory of Debbie may be made to the La Plata Christian Church. They may be sent to or left at Travis Funeral Chapel, 125 S. Church St., La Plata, MO 63549.