Deborah Lee (Brooks) Fifer

Deborah Lee (Brooks) Fifer, 57, of Fairbanks, Alaska, and formerly of Union and La Grande, died June 3 at her home with her beloved companion, James Helgeson, at her side.

A graveside memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at Eagle Valley Cemetery. Friends are invited to join the family for a reception following the service at the Eagle Valley Grange.

Debbie was born Feb. 18, 1951, to Dwight and Lorraine Brooks in Baker City. She attended grade school in Union and graduated in 1969 from La Grande High School. Debbie then graduated from Western Business University in Portland where she met and married Gary Fifer of Portland. Gary and Debbie had two daughters, Gina and Rhonda. In 1984 Debbie and her daughters moved to Fairbanks where Debbie was employed by Hub Foods, owned by Gavora Inc.

She and her longtime companion, Jim Helgeson, enjoyed traveling in their motor home to Homer for clam-digging and to Quartz Lake for fishing. She also enjoyed working in her garden and spending time with her grandchildren. Debbie knitted baby blankets for each grandchild.

Debbie was an avid bowler and won many trophies. She was a member of Eagles Auxiliary 1037 where she and Jim enjoyed many Friday evening dinners.

Debbie is survived by her daughters and their families, Gina and Tony Brickley of Fairbanks and their son and Rhonda Fifer of Vancouver, Wash., and her son; father and stepmother, Dwight and Donna Brooks of Union; mother and stepfather, Lorraine and Don Lind of Welches; brothers, Larry Brooks of Homer, La., Dalton Brooks of Vancouver, Wash., and Scott Westenskow of West Linn; stepsisters, Tonya, Sharon and Becky; stepbrothers, Bart, Chris and Jeff; companion, Jim Helgeson; Jim's two sons and daughter and their children; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Eagle Valley Grange in care of Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 543, Halfway 97834.