Debbie Jean Westbrook passed away peacefully on June 2, 2021, at the age of 67, at Texoma Medical Center in Denison, after a month-long battle with COVID-19.

Debbie was born on July 9, 1953 in Greenville, Texas, to JC Cook and Dalpha Mae Jones. A lifelong learner, she attended Sherman High School, graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University with a BS in Elementary Education, and later earned a MEd in Educational Administration from Texas A&M-Commerce.

She married Jerry Mark Westbrook on December 2, 1977 in Bells, Texas. They moved to their current homestead, also in Bells, in 1980, where they founded WD Hereford Farm.

She is survived by her husband, Jerry Mark Westbrook, two children; Ryan (DeAnn) Westbrook and Krista (Jeff) Foster, eleven grandchildren; Michael (Brandon) Breeden, who she raised from the age of 18 months, Colton (Lacie) Cockrill, Lauren (Dayton) Daniel, Zackary (Haley) Crisp, Kagan (Sabrina), Colton (Christina), and Jackson Foster; Jacob, Zane, Zarian, and Dylan Westbrook, and three great grandsons; Casen and Gentry Cockrill and Liam Crisp

Debbie was blessed with a brother, Jimmy and his wife Jill Cook, and a sister Beverly Johnson as well as a sister-in-law Nell Donoho and a brother-in-law Mac and his wife LaVerne Westbrook. Debbie had two nieces and five nephews and five great-nieces and eight great-nephews.

Debbie also has friends, colleagues, and many years of students who will miss her very much!

Debbie was a passionate educator who taught 21 years for Bells ISD teaching social studies and science during her tenure. She also enjoyed being a co-sponsor of the Jr. High Steppers with Elaine Jones, a dear colleague and friend. She loved all things crafts and in her spare time could be found painting and creating all types of gifts for those she loved from decorative gourds to stained glass to personalized soap bottles. She also loved the outdoors where any day you might find her trying to reel in the big one from the pond or attempting to find a new fossil to add to her collection.

She was an avid genealogist and was proud to be an active member of the Bonham chapter of the DAR as well as a recently appointed Board Member at Frontier Village at Loy Lake Park. She lived to travel. She was most happy when she was at a beach with her toes in the sand or on another new trek across the country to see somewhere new, undoubtedly having a few "educational detours" along the way.

The family would like to invite the community to a celebration of life on Saturday, June 12, 2021 from 12-2 PM at Waldo Funeral Home and will receive people at the family home before and after the gathering.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Debbie's name via Venmo to @Krista-Foster-10 to endow a scholarship for a student at Bells ISD.