Debra Lucille (Goering) Larson, 63, passed away peacefully at Mercy Health Hospital and Trauma Center in Janesville, Dec. 4, 2020. At her side were her four children, and just prior to her death, relatives and friends gathered virtually at her bedside.
Debbie was born in Chicago, on March 1, 1957, to Walter and Della Goering. She is the youngest of their three children. She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in journalism.
Her passions included cooking, traveling, Meet the Press, and Morning Joe. Most of all, however, Debbie had a passion for helping others around her.
In 1984 she married the love of her life, Lawrence (Larry) Larson, and the couple eventually settled in Elkhorn.
She is remembered by many families in Elkhorn as, simply, “Miss Debbie,” the beloved head of several daycare centers in town, including Sugar Creek Kids and the Children’s Care and Learning Center. In her 23-year career she cared for hundreds of children in the area. In more recent years, she enjoyed the comradery of co-workers and friends as a cashier at Frank’s Piggly Wiggly in Elkhorn.
She lived a life devoted to children – those in her community and, most important of all, those in her family.
She is survived by her chilren, Eli (Jen) Larson, Meagan (Gordon) Lawson, Emily (Max) Duval and Jesse Larson (Jasmine Harmeyer); grandchildren, 5-year-old Larry Lawson, and 2-year-old Riley Duval; stepdaughter, Jennifer Larson (Doug Dorney); and step-grandchildren, 12-year-old Colin and 4-year-old Carson Dorney; as well as her brother, Butch Goering.
She joins her husband, Larry; mother, father and sister, Patricia, in heaven.
Because of the ongoing public health crisis, the family is unable to immediately hold a formal ceremony to say goodbye. However, cards, stories, and well wishes will be greatly appreciated and can be sent to P.O. Box 501, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538.
Her family also requests that you visit her memorialized Facebook page to share stories, pictures, and memories that we can cherish forever.
As her children, we would like to thank her for being the best mom in the entire world; for loving us, listening to us, teaching us how to manage chaos with grace, teaching us right from wrong, loving any friend (furry or otherwise) that we brought home with us, and for showing us what is truly most important in life.
We find comfort in knowing that after giving us all we could ever ask for, she was finally reunited with her one true love and best friend who has been waiting for her in heaven. We feel safe under the watch of both our parents knowing they are forever with us. We will feel their presence in the warm summer breeze and in the stillness after a fresh winter snow.
Mom – we will miss you immensely and forever. We will live our lives embodying the kindness, empathy, hard work and positivity that you brightened our world with every day.
We close with a portion of a poem written by Debbie’s stepdaughter, Jenny, which exemplifies the love and patience that she showed everyone in her life:
You sang with me in the car
You never let me believe I was too loud or off key
I thought our favorite song said love was only for the duckies and the swans
And you didn’t correct me, didn’t claim love was only for the lucky and the strong
Because you wanted me to know it isn’t
We love you mommy!
