Deborah 'Deb' (Williams) Oellrich
May 22, 1960 — April 12, 2022
Deborah “Deb” (Williams) Oellrich, 61, of Toddville, Iowa, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, after a short but courageous health battle. The family will host a celebration of life that will take place from 5 – 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2022, at the Linn County Fairgrounds, 201 Central City Road, Central City, Iowa. Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assisted the family.
Deb was born May 22, 1960, in Battle Creek, Michigan, to Dave and Dorothy Williams. She attended West Delaware and graduated with the Class of 1978. She went on to attend Kirkwood Community College for horse husbandry, graduating in 1980.
In 1996, Deb met her other half and rock, Steven Oellrich. Her chocolate lab, Hoover, approved of him so they were united in marriage in January of 2003 in Las Vegas.
Deb was born with an innate love of animals, especially dogs and horses. She was able to do what she loved, sharing her passion with others at the stables of Prairie View Pleasure Horses, where she was the barn manager and horse trainer. Many left a lesson thinking they wanted to be just like Deb when they grew up. She was the loud whistling, whooping and hollering cheerleader at the arena, and she was told to quiet down more than once (although that never worked). She enjoyed the many hours spent at the horse barn, supporting the riders she instructed, attending the state fair, going to congress, spending weekends at horse shows and going out with friends and family (she never met a beer she didn’t like). Deb loved everyone she taught through the years and pretty much everyone she ever met. She was well-known for being the life of the party, having a great sense of humor and loving unconditionally. Deb had only friends, and if you were blessed enough to encounter her, you would know. She was an inspiration in the horse show world and left a lasting mark in the field.
Deb will be missed by her husband, Steve Oellrich; dogs, Maynard, Ricky Bobby, and Shelley; mother, Dorothy Williams; sisters, Diane (Evan) Wendt and Dorothy (Tim) Abel; sisters-in-law, Susie (Tom) Kimball, Sally (Don) Reid, Sandy (Larry) Germaine, Sherry Christensen, Sylvia (Edward) Brantley, and Tricia (Denny) Spear; aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews; and many great friends.
Deb was preceded in death by her father, Dave Williams, and father-in-law, Jerry Oellrich.
Deb was born May 22, 1960, in Battle Creek, Michigan, to Dave and Dorothy Williams. She attended West Delaware and graduated with the Class of 1978. She went on to attend Kirkwood Community College for horse husbandry, graduating in 1980.
In 1996, Deb met her other half and rock, Steven Oellrich. Her chocolate lab, Hoover, approved of him so they were united in marriage in January of 2003 in Las Vegas.
Deb was born with an innate love of animals, especially dogs and horses. She was able to do what she loved, sharing her passion with others at the stables of Prairie View Pleasure Horses, where she was the barn manager and horse trainer. Many left a lesson thinking they wanted to be just like Deb when they grew up. She was the loud whistling, whooping and hollering cheerleader at the arena, and she was told to quiet down more than once (although that never worked). She enjoyed the many hours spent at the horse barn, supporting the riders she instructed, attending the state fair, going to congress, spending weekends at horse shows and going out with friends and family (she never met a beer she didn’t like). Deb loved everyone she taught through the years and pretty much everyone she ever met. She was well-known for being the life of the party, having a great sense of humor and loving unconditionally. Deb had only friends, and if you were blessed enough to encounter her, you would know. She was an inspiration in the horse show world and left a lasting mark in the field.
Deb will be missed by her husband, Steve Oellrich; dogs, Maynard, Ricky Bobby, and Shelley; mother, Dorothy Williams; sisters, Diane (Evan) Wendt and Dorothy (Tim) Abel; sisters-in-law, Susie (Tom) Kimball, Sally (Don) Reid, Sandy (Larry) Germaine, Sherry Christensen, Sylvia (Edward) Brantley, and Tricia (Denny) Spear; aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews; and many great friends.
Deb was preceded in death by her father, Dave Williams, and father-in-law, Jerry Oellrich.
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