Debra Schwartz

Debra Jean Schwartz, 51, joined her Heavenly Father on Wednesday morning after a courageous, hard fought battle with cancer. She waits in Heaven for the rest of her family to join her.
Debra was born on April 20, 1958, the daughter of Ruth and the late Vinton Hetke Sr. and Harry Conrad. She grew up in the Town of Cleveland with her five sisters and four brothers. She graduated from the Bloomer School District and received a bachelor’s degree in nursing through Viterbo College. She held many positions in nursing including Director of Nursing and being a clinical nurse for general practice, an eye clinic, geriatrics, Hospice, and mental health care. She also taught nursing at CVTC.
She loved nursing but she also loved her family dearly. Her life was her family and her children. She thought she was the luckiest mother in the whole world to have her two children, Mark and Melissa, and stepdaughter Tosha. She also got to spoil her two grandchildren, Kaidie, and Lincoln. With her loving husband, Jinx, she raised her children as well as her many “dog children” who were also a huge joy to her.
Debra loved to decorate in her home and work in her yard with her prized flowers and trees. Football, with the Green Bay Packers, was watched every Sunday. Both in her personal and professional life, she put her heart into what she was doing. She nurtured and cared for all living things: plant, animal, and human. Her greatest satisfaction was in knowing that she was helping someone or something. She will be sadly missed by all who loved her and knew her.
She is survived by her husband: Bernard (Jinx); three children Mark, Melissa (Brandon) Durch, and Tosha Reetz (Fred Jenneman); two grandchildren: Lincoln Durch and Kaidnyce Reetz; her mother: Ruth Hetke; five sisters; Barbara (Mel) Crisp, Sandra (Doug) Hilger, Linda (Rich) Greenblatt, Cindy (Roger) Miller, and Vicky (Jeff) Eder; four brothers; David (Barb) Conrad, Douglas (Debbie) Conrad, Vinton Jr. (Penny) Hetke, and Mark (Dana) Hetke ; two half-sisters: Delores Rihn and Lucille Christianson; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Debra was preceded in death by her fathers; Vinton Hetke Sr. and Harry Conrad and her in-laws; Jacob and Anna Schwartz; one brother in-law: Duane Swan; and a half-brother: Ellsworth Conrad.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, May 18, 2009 at 1:00 PM at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Bloomer with Father James Arthur officiating. Friends may call from 4:00 �" 8:00 on Sunday at the Olson Funeral Home where there will be a Christian Wake Service at 7:30 PM.