Our beautiful wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmoth­er passed away peace­fully with her family by her side on February 17, 2026 in the care center in Panguitch, Utah.

Debra was born at home on August 27, 1945 in Superior, Ari­zona. She was the sec­ond child, but the first girl born to Sumner C. O’Donnal and Emo­gene Fendley. Debra and her older brother were soon joined by three more sisters. The family moved to Mesa, Arizona when Debra was 11 years old, so the children could have more opportunities for church activities and to broaden their dat­ing pool.

The move to Mesa turned out to be fortu­nate for Debra because they moved into the same ward as Norman Ray McKee’s family. Debra loved growing up in Mesa and going to Mesa High School where she participat­ed on the drill team known as the Rab­bettes. As she got older she paid more atten­tion to the handsome Norman McKee as he sat at the sacrament table on Sundays. They dated a few times, and after he returned from serving a mission, they were married on April 24, 1964 in the Mesa Arizona Temple.

Debra worked as a beautician until 1966, when they left Mesa for Logan, Utah for Norman to attend Utah State University and Debra worked for Casper’s Ice Cream making Nut Sundies and Creamies. They moved to Kanab, Utah for Norman’s job in 1968 after graduation and wanted to start a family. After many fertility treatments, their first child, Eileen, was born. The family moved to Panguitch, Utah in 1970, where four more children were added to the fam­ily, Darwin, Laresa and twins Brent and Brenda. She loved the cool climate and small town feel of Panguitch and spent many hours enjoying the outdoors, enhanced by Norman’s career as a wildlife of­ficer and biologist.

Debra was a stay-at-home mom until she started to help in the Special Education classroom when the twins were in second grade. She also worked as a CNA at the hospi­tal, at the front desk at Ruby’s Inn near Bryce Canyon, doing group sales and finally as an office manager at Western Town so she could be closer to home. Debra quit in 2000 to take care of her sister, Sandy until her death.

Mom was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Lat­ter-day Saints, serving faithfully in many call­ings. She loved her call­ings in Young Women and Relief Society and also served as the ward music leader for sev­eral years. Her gift of service extended into the community and was involved in local and regional PTA for many years. Her love of genealogy and ser­vice matched perfectly when she joined the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and spent 40 years serving and lead­ing in the organization.

Debra’s greatest role was being a wife, mother, grandmoth­er and now great-grandmother. Her five kids, eight grandchil­dren and two great-grandchildren were her world. Mom loved to make everything around her beautiful and fun. The simple things in life made her happy, flower gar­dens, recipe books, memory books and small thoughtful gifts.

She is survived by her children Eileen (Nolberto) Castro, of Murray, Utah; Darwin (Sara) McKee of Sara­toga Springs, Utah; Laresa (Chad) Waller, of McKinney, Texas; Brent (Kellen) McK­ee, of Reserve, N.M.; Brenda McKee of St. George, Utah; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, with one more ex­pected this summer; her sister Gail (Alan) Mattison, of Gilbert, Ariz.; her sister Regina Montijo, of Mesa, Ariz. Debra was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Ronald and her sister Sandy.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 12 p.m. in the Pan­guitch Stake Center, 550 South 100 West, Panguitch, Utah. A viewing will be held on Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Stake Center, and Saturday morning from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Interment will be in the Panguitch City Cemetery.