Deborah "Debbie" was born to Fred and Euritha Dunn of Knoxville. She grew up in South Knoxville with time spent at the family home in Cleveland, TN.
Debbie was predeceased by her father, Fred Dunn; mother, Euritha Dunn; brother, Mark Dunn; youngest son, Joseph Beckner and her boyfriend, Larry Cruze.
She is survived by a multitude of family members including brother, Steve Dunn; son, Jacob Beckner and daughter-in law, Amanda Beckner; daughters, Heather Cameron, Amanda Cruze; honorary daughter, Cynthia Parton; honorary sons, Toby Johnson and Mathew Brewer Sr.; grandchildren, Zavier and Anya Beckner, Bailey Beckner, Dakota Bragg and Landon Harris; honorary grandchildren: Mathew Boggs, Patrick and Shellie Parton, Mathew Brewer Jr and Hailey Brewer; many cousins, nieces, nephews, great- nieces; great-nephews, including her best friend and cousin, Darlene Johansen.
She was known as ”Mammaw Debbie” to everyone’s children, and would claim them all as her grandbabies, so they are too numerous to list here. I apologize for the exclusion.
Debbie grew up in South Knoxville, and married her high school sweetheart, Ricky Beckner. They had two boys, Jacob and Joseph. Her second marriage was to Virgil Moore, and there she gained a daughter, Heather. Years after her second divorce, she started dating Larry Cruze, gaining another daughter Amanda Cruze. They had been together for about twenty-years until his recent passing.
Debbie had worked some interesting jobs, including at a South Knoxville icon, Kay’s Ice Cream Shop, and at a seatbelt factory. She worked for Baptist Hospital in Housekeeping for 16 years, and earned many high praises for her work ethic, sunny attitude, and insistence on doing her job to perfection. Her co-workers called her “Turtledove”, which eventually evolved into “Mammaw Turtle”, as she always took her time making sure she did something to the best of her ability.
Mammaw will be missed sorely, most especially by her family. We are thankful that we were blessed to spend what time we did have with her, and that her grandbabies will have many happy and especially funny memories that they will be able to tell their grandbabies about their crazy Mammaw Turtle.
The family will receive friends Saturday, March 19, 2022 between the hours of 4:00pm until 6:00pm in the parlors of Berry Funeral Home, 3704 Chapman Hwy, Knoxville, TN 37920. The family invites friends to share fond memories and sign the online guestbook at www.berryfuneralhome.com.
