My Eulogy To Debbie

Bill Widman said...
MY EULOGY TO DEBBIE
What can I say about Debbie Key? That her favorite color was pink. Her favorite place was the beach. That she loved the Pittsburgh Steelers and Patsy Cline.
She loved children and animals with profound adoration.
She loved the changing of the seasons, to see the coloring of the leaves in autumn, the first snow of winter, the first flowers of spring, and the magic of summer nights.
She was in love with life, and worshipped every day of it. Her joy and enthusiasm were freely shared with everyone she encountered.

How about her triumph after being stricken with Guillain-Barre Syndrome? Confined to a wheelchair for a time, she demonstrated a great zeal for life when it was challenged, and a spiritual fortitude that helped her overcome her affliction. Debbie continued going to concerts, and doing the things she loved during that time.

What has impressed me the most about Debbie is how she has touched the lives of so many people I have known for decades. She had a heart of gold, and her loyalty to her friends was boundless. Debbie wanted everyone to be happy. She put a lot of effort into it, and often succeeded.
I regret that I didn't get to know her as well as many of my friends, but I'm thankful to everyone who has shared their personal stories with me. I can see that she's made quite an impact. There is no doubt in my mind that she was indeed a very special person, a gift.

I always enjoy my visits to David and Chris, especially when they feel up to talking about their very special friend. David told me about how when Debbie was at their house in 1996 during Hurricane Fran, taking refuge from the storm, and she was able to persuade a lost and frightened cat into their house. Some say that Debbie could talk to animals, especially cats, and it was certainly well known that she had a great love for them. They named the cat Poupon, because he was grey, and the cat continued to live at their house until he died, not too long ago.

Whenever I talk to my friends about Debbie, I often hear the word "bubbly" used to describe her. She possesed a great talent for cheering people up, making people laugh, and inspiring people to get off their butts and have fun. Indeed, she was famous for this.
Officer Bob, as he is best known, perhaps the most popular member of the Carrboro Police Dept., once described Debbie to me as, "not a malicious bone in her body."

But Debbie was a human, not an angel, (maybe she is now) and she did have her faults. She had a tendency to drink too much, and a tendency to assume that everyone was good. These things led to her demise.
It was the Sunday night of Thanksgiving Weekend, the night before December 1, 1997, when the friends she usually hung out with at Sticks and Stones were with their families. It was then when Debbie tried to make a new friend and, perhaps for her first time, failed.
I want her killer brought to justice as much as anyone else, but not before paying tribute to the life she has lived. The many blessings she has shared with us should always be remembered. What I want to emphasise most of all is that Debbie Key is not just a "murder victim," but a special friend to us all.

Rest in peace, dear Debbie Key
Sep 21, 1962 - Dec 1, 1997