ANGELES CITY, Republic of Philippines — Dorothy Louise Haynes-Debes, 95, died Oct. 19 at Angeles City, the Philippines. Born March 12, 1915, at Elmer, Kan., she was the daughter of Noah and Lillian (Murray) Neal. She was baptized Jan. 29, 1927, by the Rev. J.R. Taylor at First Baptist Church, Sterling. She married Oral Cecil Haynes May 16, 1936, at Larned. He died Oct. 27, 1972. She then married Lawrence Debes on April 10, 1976, at Great Bend. He died Aug. 13, 1984. She was a clerk for the Barton County Treasurer’s Office. Mrs. Debes was an Angeles City resident for nine years, coming from Great Bend.
Mrs. Debes was a former member of the Baker Avenue Baptist Church, which later became Central Baptist Church, Great Bend. Upon her marriage to Mr. Debes, Dorothy became a member of the Prince of Peace Parish at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, the Altar Society, St. Monica Sewing Circle, Daughters of Isabella, EHU, Commission on Aging board member, and former president of the Silver and Gold Club.
After moving to the Philippines in 2001, she became a member of the Clark Field Baptist Church and was a founding member of Wildwood Church Ministries, serving the impoverished. Through her joint efforts, tens of thousands of less fortunate received donations of food, clothing, Bibles and medicine. She was instrumental in sponsoring numerous evangelism crusades that allowed many thousands to hear the Good News of Salvation and to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. That ministry also built several small churches in the Philippines. Even at the age of 95 she was very active and she attended two crusades and seven worship services and Bible studies in the week prior to her death.
Her health was good prior to her passing, which was caused by a sudden cardiac arrest. She went home to Jesus after spending only an hour in the hospital. She moved to the Philippines in 2002 to live with her son Norman, but was sad as she would know no one there. Yet in eight short years she became known to so many people that seven memorial services were conducted to accommodate the nearly 1,000 friends and mourners who attended.
She was lovingly referred to locally in Philippine dialect as "Lola Dorothy" (Grandma Dorothy) and was known and respected by thousands. She is remembered as a generous servant of Jesus and was truly a legend in her own time. She set a high benchmark for obedient followers of Jesus to strive to match. She is no doubt enjoying her rewards in Heaven now.
Survivors include two sons, Murray Haynes of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Norman Haynes of Angeles City, Republic of Philippines; one daughter, Sandy Haynes of Albuquerque, N.M.; four stepsons, Lawrence Debes of Larned, Justin Debes and Jim Debes, both of Great Bend, and Kevin Debes of Pierce City, Mo.; two stepdaughters, Margaret Campbell of Great Bend and Germaine Carey of Monett, Mo.; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two stepsons, Jerome Debes and Mike Debes, one stepdaughter, Rita Bethel, one brother, Harold Neal, and two sisters, Marie Rose and Helen Chaffin.
A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Great Bend Cemetery, where inurnment will also occur. There will be no visitation, cremation having taken place. Memorials are suggested to the Great Bend Senior Center, in care of Bryant Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Oct. 28, 2010
