A Celebration of Life for 68-year old Deborah “Debbie” Fricke of Crawford, NE, will be held Wed, May 17, 2023 at 2:00 at the Harrison Bible Church in Harrison, NE, with Pastor Matt Parker officiating.
Online condolences may be made on Deborah’s memorial page at www.chamberlainchapel.com.
Deborah LaRee “Debbie” Fricke was born December 17th, 1954, to Marion “LaVerne” and Josephine “Jody” (Tollman) McCoy in Sidney, NE. She passed away on Friday, May 12th, 2023, with her family by her side after a courageous battle with cancer.
Her Christian faith was central to Debbie’s life ever since she trusted in Jesus for her salvation at Vacation Bible School in 1963.
Debbie spent most of her childhood in Crawford and went to the Glen Country School southwest of town before attending Crawford Public Schools. She graduated from Crawford High School as Valedictorian with the class of 1973.
She went on to attend Western Nebraska Community College, graduating as a nurse in 1976, then attended both Multnomah School of the Bible School in Portland, OR, and New Tribes Bible Institute in Jackson, MI.
Debbie grew up on her family’s ranch and loved riding horses every chance she could get. She also counseled at a wilderness horsemanship camp in Washington, an experience that inspired her to start her own camp when she returned to the ranch.
She ran the camp for several years and in the winter of 1981 met Herb Fricke, the man who would become her husband. They were married on October 23rd, 1982, and had 3 children: Shawn, Amy, and Chris.
Debbie and Herb ministered together at both Rodeo Bible Camps and horsemanship camps. For 25 years, they helped put Rodeo Bible Camp together with their church, Harrison Bible Church. Debbie was also a faithful Sunday School and Kids Club teacher at the church.
Debbie worked as a nurse for many years at both the hospital and nursing home in Crawford, but stopped to homeschool her kids. When they were grown, she spent many years working in home health care for neighbors and family.
Debbie was a loving wife and mother, and a big fan of both Bible study and spending time in God’s creation.
She leaves behind her husband Herb; son Shawn (Ann) Fricke; daughter Amy (Miles) Emard; son Chris (Shelby) Fricke; grandsons Tucker and Jackson Fricke; father LaVerne; brother Rodney (Joyce) McCoy; brother Roger (Kathy) McCoy; brother Roy (Chris) McCoy; brother Edward (Shelley) McCoy; and stepbrother Gerry Warren.
Preceding her in death are her grandson Levi; mother Jody; stepmother Jo; stepsister Edie; and her grandparents.
Chamberlain Chapel of Chadron is entrusted with arrangements for Deb Fricke.