The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Debra Sue Van Cleave passed away after a long battle of dementia at the age of 71.

Debra was born in Spokane, Washington to Gordon and Dorothy Holmdahl on September 26, 1951. The family moved to Flaxville, Montana then they moved to The Dalles, Oregon, and Portland, before settling in Salem-Keizer area.

Debra graduated from McNary High School in 1969. Debra worked a few jobs before she started her career at ODOT; she worked 30 years, retiring in 2012. Debra met the love of her life, Duane Van Cleave, in 2006. They married in 2012 and moved to Sisters, where she enjoyed the outdoors.

Debra loved to read and travel. Her favorite thing to do was to take a drive in their 1954 Ford F100 to go get their mochas.

Debra is preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Dorothy Holmdahl; brothers Rick Holmdahl, Jeff Holmdahl; and great-grandson, Bentley Tucker. Debra is survived by husband Duane Van Cleave; brothers Mike (Marsha) Holmdahl; sons Brent Holmdahl, Jason Holmdahl, Chad (Leslie) Savage; stepdaughters Shelly (Rich) Duncan, Shannon (Cory)Ziglinski; grandkids Bailey Savage, Justin (Eugenia) Van Cleave, Jordyn (Blake) Tucker, Matt (Samantha) Duncan, and Brian Duncan; great-grandkids Jacob, Brooklynn, Alex, Jesse, Tyler, and Zoey, along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A celebration of life will be at a later date in Salem.