Dr. Deborah S. Hartzler

Dr. Deborah (Debbie) S. Hartzler, 70, passed away, surrounded by her loving family, on November 23, 2022. Debbie was born on August 28, 1952 in Anderson, Indiana to her parents Ralph “Dude” and Betty Joan (Trissel) Land. After losing her father at a young age, Debbie was extraordinarily blessed when her mother married John Baughn in 1967. John blessed her with the gift of adoption and forty-six years of unconditional love. Debbie is preceded in death by her adored sister (Linda Dransfield), her oldest brother (Albert “Butch” Baughn), and her fathers, Ralph and John. Debbie is survived by her mother and best friend, Joan Baughn, and her loving and devoted husband of 50 years, Jack Hartzler, along with their three children, Melinda Hartzler (Chris) Bundy of Brookville, Indiana; Michael Hartzler of Franklin, Indiana; and Jacque (Benjie) Cregar of Greenwood, Indiana. Jack and Debbie cherish five beautiful grandchildren including Landon Bundy of Terre Haute, Indiana; Adrienne and Meredith Bundy of Brookville, Indiana; and Madeline and Mallory Cregar of Greenwood, Indiana. She is also survived by four brothers, Larry (Cindy) Land of Noblesville, Indiana; Ron (Debbie) Baughn of Knoxville, Tennessee; John (Kathy) Baughn of Martinsville, Indiana; and David Baughn of New Point, Indiana; her beloved mother-in-law, Mary Hartzler of Rushville, Indiana; her brother-in-law, Bill Hartzler, of Fishers, Indiana; her sister-in-law, Carol (Walter) Osterburg, of Greenwood, Indiana; sixteen nieces and nephews; and seventeen great-nieces and great-nephews. Debbie graduated from Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1970. Following high school, she briefly attended Purdue University and then Indiana Business College where she met her husband, Jack. Jack and Debbie were married on June 3, 1972 at First United Methodist Church in Martinsville, Indiana. Debbie re-enrolled in college, attending night classes at IUPUI, while raising three young children in Rushville, earning a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1984. A lifelong learner, she continued her post-graduate education at IUPUI, earning a Masters of Science in Education in 1995. At the encouragement of her father, John, Debbie completed her impressive academic career, earning a Doctorate in Education from Indiana University in 2000. Thirty years after leaving Purdue as a young woman, she published her dissertation entitled “A Meta-Analysis of Studies Conducted on Integrated Curriculum Programs and Their Effects on Student Achievement” and accepted her degree with her mother, father, husband, and three grown children proudly in attendance. Debbie was a fourth-grade teacher at Rosemund Elementary School in Greensburg, Indiana for 13 years from 1985-1997. She was the Assistant Principal of Northeastern Elementary School in Richmond, Indiana from 1997-1999 and the Principal at Greenstreet Elementary School and Eastwood Elementary School in New Castle, Indiana from 1999-2013. Following her retirement in 2013, Debbie continued to work as a bookkeeper for L.A. Fry & Associates in Rushville, Indiana; A&W Restaurant in Greensburg, Indiana; and The Fiddlers Three in Shelbyville, Indiana. Beyond her professional and academic achievements, Debbie most valued her time with family. She often hosted large gatherings at the house on Lawton Circle, cooking massive amounts of delicious food and welcoming guests. She cherished the closeness she was blessed to share with her own mother. After Joan moved into Jack and Debbie’s house in 2013, the two matriarchs were inseparable. They traveled to baseball games, soccer games, swim meets, marching band, color guard and percussion contests in support of the grandkids and were collectively referred to as “The Grandma’s.” They systematically toured all of the best ice cream establishments in central Indiana and spent hours chatting beside the pool. Together, they nurtured and cultivated some of the most beautiful rose and lily gardens in the area. Both talented seamstresses, they spent hours at their sewing machines sharing their knowledge and skills with the granddaughters, one of whom is carrying on the family tradition in fashion design. Debbie was the hardest working person many of us will ever know and an inspiration to so many young women and teachers. She leaves a legacy of strength and lived as an example of how to give, protect, and love fiercely. She showed her love for others through acts of service and was at her best when helping someone else. Funeral services will be held at Moster Mortuary in Rushville, Indiana. The family will receive friends and family on Monday, November 28 from 4:00-7:00, followed by funeral services officiated by Kevin Able on Tuesday, November 29 at 11:00am. A private burial service for the family will follow at East Hill Cemetery. The family requests that those who wish to express their sympathy consider making a donation to the Rush County Community Foundation where an endowment will be established to support local teachers and schoolchildren.

Tributes

Dr. Deborah S. Hartzler

August 28, 1952 - November 23, 2022