Obituary of Debra Varner

DEBRA A.Varner Debra A Varner, age 52 of Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia died in the early morning of March 26, 2012, following a courageous battle with brain cancer. The family will receive visitors on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at Lambeth and Troxler Funeral Home in Greensboro, NC from 5-8 p.m. The funeral service will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday, March 29, 2012 at Epworth United Methodist Church in Moneta, Virginia with Pastor Josh Mannikhuysen and Mr. Chuck Murphy officiating. The family will receive friends following the funeral service in the church fellowship hall. Lambeth and Troxler Funeral Home in Greensboro, NC and Flora Funeral Service in Rocky Mount, VA are serving the family. Debbie was born on September 22, 1959 in Reidsville, North Carolina to the late Roy and Elsie Austin. She graduated from Stoneville High School in 1977. She graduated with an Associate degree in business from Rockingham Community College in 1981. In 1995 she became a registered nurse by earning a second Associate degree in nursing from Rockingham Community College. She worked as a registered nurse for 17 years before going back to school and earning a Bachelor's degree in nursing in December 2011 from Jefferson College. During her 17 year career in nursing, she received many awards and recognitions including Nurse Excellence Award in 2003 and memberships to Phi Theta Kappa, and Sigma Theta Tan. Debbie married Michael Dean Varner in 1982 and they lived in Browns Summit, NC before re-locating to Smith Mountain Lake in 2006. She enjoyed boating on Smith Mountain Lake and sport fishing in the Atlantic ocean with her husband and children. She was an active member of Epworth United Methodist Church. Debbie is survived by two children, Amber Varner of Greenville, NC and Jason Varner of Raleigh, NC. Survivors include brother, Roy C. Austin and wife, Peggy, of North Myrtle Beach, SC; sisters, Faye Chowning and husband, Clark, of North Myrtle Beach, SC, Anne Neal of Winston Salem, NC, Pat Martin and husband, Jake, Jean Kendrick and husband, Freddie, all of Stoneville, NC, and Gail Poe and husband, Wayne, of Carmel, IN. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Carles B. Austin. The family would like to extend their deepest thanks to family members that have tirelessly aided with the care of Debbie, Epworth United Methodist Church, members of the Greensboro Fire Department, traditional Tae Kwon Do school of Virginia, Dr. William Ball and staff, Debbie's Carilion and Greensboro co-workers, the Brain Tumor Center at Duke Medical Center, Carilion Hospice staff, Roanoke Community Hospital, the neighbors of Maiden Lane, and friends at Smith Mountain Lake. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Carilion Hospice of Franklin County, 180 Floyd Ave., Rocky Mount, Virginia 24151.