Deborah “Debbie” Jean Hayes Hurst, 66

Deborah “Debbie” Jean Hayes Hurst, 66, of Waterloo, died Tuesday, December 7, 2022, of cancer, while a patient at UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital in Waterloo. She was born on July 2, 1956, the daughter of Carroll and Virginia Staebler Hayes. Debbie graduated from Dysart Geneseo High School and began a long nursing career after graduating from Hawkeye Community College. She married James Hurst on March 2, 2002, at Geneseo United Methodist Church.

Debbie began her nursing training while still in high school and worked at Schoitz Hospital while obtaining her ADN-RN degree from Hawkeye Tech. She rose to the position of House Supervisor at Schoitz and left there in 1992 to become Manager of Medical/Surgical Unit at Allen Hospital. Debbie retired from Allen Home Health in 2012. She enjoyed raising and breeding Labrador Retrievers.

Debbie is survived by her husband, James Hurst, of Waterloo; sister, Suzanne (James) Hanna, of La Porte City, IA; brother, Tom (Rhonda) Hayes, of Cedar Falls; nephews: Jason (Holly) Hanna, of Hingham, MA, and Tyler (Christi Martinez) Hayes, of Waterloo; and great niece, Emerson Hanna and great nephew, Kepler Hanna; sister-in-law, Janet Hayes, of Richfield, MN; and many other family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Craig Hayes.

A Celebration of Life open house will be held Saturday, December 17, 2022, from 1-4 PM at Locke at Tower Park, 4140 Kimball Avenue, Waterloo. Memorial contributions should be directed to UnityPoint Hospice, 3731 University Ave., Waterloo, IA 50701 in Debbie’s memory. On-line contributions may be expressed at www.lockefuneralservices.com.