HABERMAS, Debbie (nee Stutt)

Debbie Habermas (nee Stutt) passed away on Feb. 4, 2021, in the comfort of her own home in Dearborn, after battling brain cancer since last summer. She was 67.

Born on April 14, 1953, she left her hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, after high school to work for Bell Canada where she quickly became a manager. She met her future husband Rich while he was playing at a hockey tournament with the Detroit Police in Sudbury, Ontario.

After they married in 1977, they settled in Detroit and Debbie accepted a transfer to Bell’s office across the river in Windsor. After giving birth to sons Eric and Brett – a year and five days apart – she walked away from her career to raise her sons.

Once they were in school full-time, she studied to get her nursing license, then worked as a neonatal intensive care unit nurse at Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit for more than 20 years, much of that time working 12-hour midnight shifts so she could be around for her family during the day.

She spoiled her husband and sons endlessly. She often let them interrupt dinner on the weekends by letting them spin the TV around the corner into the dining room to watch the waning moments of a Tigers game, a big college football game, March Madness, the Kentucky Derby… you name it. “Dinner Theatre,” her husband dubbed it.

Debbie was a meticulous housekeeper, gardener, landscaper and DIYer, with her house always decorated to the absolute nines for holidays and the changing seasons. Later when her sons bought houses of their own, they were frequent beneficiaries of her skill, creativity, time and generosity.

She was an animal lover through and through. Not only did she have several dogs and cats over the years, but the family garage was on many occasions transformed into a makeshift veterinary hospital as she nursed squirrels, chipmunks, possums and birds, among other creatures, back to health.

After retiring a few years ago, she shifted into full-time “Nannie” mode, loving on and doting on her “Fab Five” as she referred to the grandkids. She was in her element hosting big breakfasts and taking the kids on Easter egg hunts.

She babysat her grandchildren too many times to count, often appearing in the early morning hours with a box of donuts in hand as the kids squealed, “Nannie! Nannie!”

In her spare time, she enjoyed Danielle Steele novels, true crime TV shows, frequent walks with Rich and their golden retriever Buddy, and trips to northern Ontario to visit family and friends.

She was the beloved wife of Rich for nearly 44 years. She was the loving mother of Eric (Lisa) Habermas and Brett (Lindsay) Habermas. She was the dear sister of John (Sharon) Stutt and Catherine (Gunther) Jobst and sister-in-law of Dianne Mischel.

She was the dearest grandmother of Avery, Trey, Harper, Landon and Hannah. Debbie was preceded in death by her parents John and Mary Stutt. She is also survived by many other loving family and friends.

A private Mass of Resurrection will be held at St. Anselm Catholic Church, 17650 W. Outer Drive, Dearborn Heights. Arrangements entrusted to the Dearborn Chapel of Voran Funeral Home, 23701 Ford Road. (313) 278-5100. Inurnment St. Hedwig Cemetery. Donations may be made to the Dearborn Animal Shelter. Please share memories and/or leave condolences on Debbie’s guestbook.

The family would like to thank the countless neighbors, friends and relatives who helped during Debbie’s illness with a nonstop supply of home-cooked meals, cards, gifts, phone calls, emails, texts and kind words. Debbie will be missed so much.