Deb "D.J." Krueger

LYLES, TN-Debra (Deb) Jean Krueger, age 49, of Lyles, Tennessee, passed away January 14, 2021 at Alive Hospice inpatient Unit in Nashville, Tennessee after her long year and a half battle with cancer.
Deb was born to Kenneth and Lynda (Hahn) Krueger on October 19, 1971 in Ottumwa, Iowa. After graduating from Pekin High School in 1990, she went to Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska for two years before transferring to the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She graduated in 1996 with a degree in Leisure Services. Deb's heart for children, camp ministry and outdoor adventures took her many places throughout her life. She spent several summers as a camp counselor and summer program director at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca in Solon, Iowa before spending a year in Estes Park, Colorado as an activities director at a local youth ministry camp. After Colorado her adventurous heart took her to Tennessee where she began working as a full-time nanny. The family ultimately moved to Boston, and she had the opportunity to move with them but she loved the Nashville area and had made many friends, and decided to make it her home. She began working as the facilities and communications coordinator for a church in East Brentwood before seizing the opportunity to work as a program director then director at NaCoMe Camp and Retreat Center in Pleasantville, Tennessee. While she loved her job, her love of helping people, compassion, and caring nature ultimately inspired her to further her education by going to EMT school to support the community she cared about so much. Deb graduated with Cum Laude honors from Columbia State Community College and began working as an AEMT and ER Technician. Those who knew Deb knew she was never afraid of hard work or getting a little dirty. She loved the outdoors, spending time with those she was closest to, taking care of her animals, making crafts, wood working and the Chicago Bears.
She is preceded in death by her grandparents Lawrence and Edna Hahn, Arnold and Velma Krueger, Great Uncle Raymond Pitsch, Uncle Eugene Snakenberg, adoptive grandparents and close friends. She is survived by her parents Kenneth and Lynda Krueger of Ollie, brother Rick (Kristina) Krueger of Sigourney, sister Kathy (Andrew) Guy of Phoenix, Arizona, nephew Ty Krueger, Aunt Maryetta Snakenberg, Uncle Robert (Judith) Krueger, cousins and many friends in Iowa and Tennessee.

Private family funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 23, 2021, at Powell Funeral Home in Sigourney. The service will also be livestreamed on the Powell Funeral Home facebook page. Burial will be at St. Martin's Lutheran Cemetery near What Cheer. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 22, 2021, at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her name to Hickman County EMS or the Humane Society and mailed to Rick Krueger, 904 E. Pleasant Valley, Sigourney, IA 52591. Powell Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Sigourney is caring for Deb and her family. Tributes may be made at www.powellfuneralhomes.com.