Deb Werner-Barnett was born July 22, 1954, in Mascoutah, Illinois, to Paul and Donna (Adamson) Werner. As an Air Force family, they traveled extensively across the U.S. In August 1970, her parents settled in her mother’s hometown of Brookings. Deb graduated from Brookings High School in 1973, then began studying at South Dakota State University in the fall. She graduated in 1979 with a degree in Public Recreation.
On November 26, 1975, Deb married Mark Barnett in Brookings and a few years later they started out on another adventure together as an Air Force family. They were stationed at bases in California, North Dakota, and Nebraska, where they eventually chose to settle. They had two children, Trevor and Ashley.
After moving to Offutt AFB, Deb began volunteering at Golden Hills Elementary when Ashley started kindergarten there. Deb worked for 33 years as a paraprofessional and administrative assistant at Golden Hills.
Deb was preceded in death by her father, Paul, her son, Trevor, and her husband, Mark. She is survived by her daughter, Ashley (Benjamin Mixan) Barnett (Lincoln, Nebraska), brother Mark (Ingrid) Werner and mother Donna Werner (all of Brookings), three grandchildren, Orion, Finley, and Louisa. She is also survived by her mother-in-law, Rita Barnett (Brookings); brothers-in-law Greg Barnett (Minneapolis) and Patrick (Kim) Barnett (Jackson, Minnesota); sisters-in-law Ann (Rick) Volin (Brookings), Jean Barnett (Albuquerque), Rosalie Barnett (Golden Valley, Minnesota), and Eileen (Jed) Skogerboe (Spirit Lake, Iowa).
Debbie passed away in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Jan. 8, 2020, at the age of 65.
