It’s with sadness that PIPSC members learned of the passing of Deborah “Debbie” Lynn Whitney-Hambleton. Debbie was a well-respected nurse in Northern Ontario with over 15 years of service.
A proud member of our community of public service professionals, Debbie was recently recognized by Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller with a posthumous Award of Excellence in Nursing. She would have been proud and humbled by this incredible honour.
Debbie’s dedication to First Nations communities in Canada’s North was palpable. She was known for her welcoming smile and gracious attitude, and her career allowed her to build important bonds wherever she was assigned. She led community initiatives that honoured Indigenous traditional healing practices and always stood in support of truth and reconciliation for Indigenous communities.
Debbie cherished important family bonds. She loved spending time in Mexico with her spouse. Her five children hold unique memories of her unconditional love and generosity. All three of her daughters even followed in Debbie’s footsteps to become nurses themselves.
Debbie was a wife, friend, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and will be dearly missed. We are grateful for Debbie’s contribution to Canada’s Northern communities and for all the love, passion and joy that she left us.