Born June 1st, 1933 – Passed from this earth, September 18th, 2018
Colleen, better known as Kelly to her Husband and friends, was born to Denman Arthur Howarth and Odessa Marie Howarth in Daniels Utah, a small rural town nestled in the hills near Heber City. Her father was a salesman for a leather works company and her Mother was a homemaker. Her mother re-married in 1947 to Alvin Peterson, that marriage brought a four-year-old sister, Karen. Kelly’s family moved to American Fork Utah where she graduated from high school. Kelly really enjoyed sports while growing up, particularly track, volleyball, snow skiing and basketball. Because girls were not really supposed to be playing basketball, to compete with other schools, they had to include a tea party as part of the day.
After attending Dixie University, Kelly was employed by the Utah Department of Employment Security in Salt Lake City. She met and began to date a coworker, Wayne DeBry; after dating for several years they were married in February of 1954. After marrying They had their first child, Michael DeBry born in 1954. They moved to Provo after Wayne was transferred and had their second child, Scott DeBry born in 1956. Kelly’s husband received a job offer from Rohr Aircraft, a corporation located in Chula Vista California. Thou the decision was not easy and came upon heavy hearts, Kelly and Wayne decided to move and re-locate the family to Southern California.
Kelly became a homemaker while Wayne went to work. While the boys were growing up, she was active in the PTA from Kindergartener to 12th grade and was a Den Mother in Cub Scouts. Kelly and Wayne were both involved while their sons were in Boy Scouts and Explorers. The family made many trips which included day trips to the beach, mountains or the Zoo. They also made many trips to Yellow stone, Sequoia National Park, Yosemite and many of the south western states.
Wayne retired in 1987, and they began to travel on their own. They bought a motor home and traveled quite extensively. Besides the trips up north all the way to Canada and to the east coast, they also visited Michael and his wife Joan in Idaho where Michael had moved. They enjoyed fishing and panning for gold in the creek next to their sons’ home. Scott married in 1987 to Pamela Millspaugh and together they had and raised two children, Hilary and Melanie. Kelly and Wayne watched, and spoiled their Granddaughters while Scott and Pam went to work. Just like Kelly and Wayne’s son’s, they treated the granddaughters with many trips to the beach, mountains, the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. Kelly later said to her son Scott about life after Wayne’s retirement, “those were the best 25 years of our lives”.
Wayne became ill and passed away in August of 2012. Kelly remained living at home by herself for several years after Wayne’s passing. Scott and Pam traveled from Riverside to make weekly visits and to help around the house. Kelly endured at home for almost four years, but due to failing health and the difficulty of living at home by herself, Kelly moved to assisted living for the last year and a half.
After falling ill, with her Son and Daughter-in-law, Scott and Pam by her side, Kelly passed away in the afternoon of September 18th, 2018. Colleen DeBry leaves behind her sister Karen, two son’s Michael and Scott, and two granddaughters Hilary and Melanie. She will be dearly missed by us all.
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