Deborah "Debbie" Micheel

Deborah (Debbie) Jean Micheel, 70, of Ankeny, Iowa (recently moved from Marshalltown), died at 3 o’clock in the afternoon on March 13, 2018, surrounded by family. She passed away peacefully after a nearly 16-year illness with ovarian cancer.  Debbie was born February 19, 1948 in Grinnell, Iowa to Edna Mae (Burke) Stoker and Merlin Carl Stoker. She was married October 21, 1972, to Raymond (Ray) William Micheel at her mother’s house in Deep River, Iowa. She graduated from Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom High School in 1966, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1970, and earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Iowa in 1992. During her career she worked as an elementary school teacher, a mother, and a crisis intervention and hospital/homebound teacher before becoming a school social worker with Area Education Agency 267 (now the Central Rivers AEA) in 1992. She retired in 2008.  Debbie had a way with walking with people through difficult times in their lives. This was true in her personal life as well as in her professional life, where she advocated for the needs of the kids she served. Debbie was a caring and attentive friend and family member. She valued her friends and family, including her grandkids, and enjoyed reading, travel and crossword puzzles. She was a longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Marshalltown, Iowa.  Debbie is survived by husband Ray Micheel, daughter Christine Marya Micheel (Steven Damo), son William (Bill) Ray Micheel (Courtney Micheel), grandchildren Adeline Mae Micheel, Elliott Edward Micheel, Benjamin Hilario Micheel Damo and Lewis Connley Micheel and sisters Mary Ellen Maschmann and Edythe Ann Kuntz. Debbie was preceded in death by her mother Edna Mae Purvis, father Merlin Stoker and sister Virginia Louise Stoker.  Funeral services for Debbie will be held on Friday, March 16, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Marshalltown. Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 15, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. also at the church. For more information or to send a condolence, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Debbie and her family. Memorials may be made to the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (where daughter Christine is a member of the faculty) GYN Oncology Cancer Fund. To make a memorial gift, please send a check made payable to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to: Vanderbilt University Medical Center Development Gift and Donor Services 3322 West End Avenue, Suite 900 Nashville, TN 37203 Please include a note with the check or indicate on the memo line that the gift is made in memory of Deborah Micheel. Gifts can also be made online at VanderbiltHealth.org/GivetoVICC. Please select "Yes" from the dropdown menu under "Gift in someone's honor or memory." To make a gift by phone, please call (800) 288-0028