Debra 'Debbie' Gayle (Van Horn) Lascsak

Debra “Debbie” Gayle (Van Horn) Lascsak, 70, passed away from cancer peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at her home in Stephenville, Texas.

Debbie was born in Huntington Park, California, on June 26, 1953, to the late Robert Van Horn and Beth Frostefer. She married Thomas Alan Lascsak on April 2, 1972. The couple moved to Stephenville, Texas in 1978 where they have resided since that move. Debbie was a homemaker as the couple raised their three sons. Later in life she spent some time working for Stephenville Empire-Tribune and shared many adventurous stories about rural paper routes.

Debbie found pleasure in living a simple and unassuming life. She loved her family and loved the house she lived in. Debbie was constantly adding to its interior decorations. A close friend described the house as “living in art.”

She loved going on daily walks with her husband.

Debbie enjoyed craft projects for the home and collecting trinkets and various pig-related items. She hand-painted many ornamental wooden plaques using wedding invitations for family members and friends. She was a great cook and enjoyed experimenting with food.

Debbie enjoyed finding and collecting the perfect greeting card for any occasion. Even if it was years before she would be able to give it. She would decorate both the card and the envelope with stickers, rubber stamping, and handwritten comments. Her heartfelt messages were always appreciated. She kept alive the art of letter writing.

Always taking pictures, she loved having them printed at the drug store, and then put them in photo albums using old-fashioned photo corners. Not only did she create 16 family albums, but she also created numerous smaller albums commemorating certain events or milestones. The photo albums, many tattered with age and viewing, were her most prized possessions. They were dated, well captioned, and creatively decorated.

Her dressing style was casual and chic, always creative, original, and totally her.

Debbie was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and baptized on March 24, 1974. She loved Jehovah and his Bible promises of a restored earth free from sickness, pain, and death. She also loved his earthly organization and considered it a crowning jewel of comfort and hope in a world drowning in problems.

Debbie is survived by her husband, Thomas; her three sons (and spouses), Justin (Shelli) Lascsak, Graham Lascsak, and Levi (Cammyla) Lascsak; her two grandsons, Jacob Lascsak and LuCasey Lascsak; her siblings, Tom Van Horn and Terri Weissenberger; her sister-in-law Lonnie Van Horn; along with several cousins, nieces, and nephews. Debbie was also preceded in death by her brother, Brad Van Horn.

A memorial service for Debbie will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at 3:00 pm, at the Stephenville Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses

The service will also be available by Zoom:

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