DEBORAH SKEELS BOCKEN Debbie Bocken, devoted wife, loving mother, and faithful friend, passed away peacefully on December 4, 2015, after a lengthy struggle with congenital heart disease. Born July 19, 1942 in Montpelier, Vermont, she arrived in Honolulu after graduating from the University of Arizona in 1963. Debbie is survived by her best friend and husband of 28 years, Charlie Bocken, her son Dawson, his wife, Dussy, and their daughters, Moana and Kailani; her son Wyatt, his wife, Megan, and their children, Mariah, and Cole; her sister Meri Nielson, her husband Corky, her brother Fred Skeels, 3 step children, 4 step grandchildren, and countless beloved friends. Debbie's love for life and learning propelled her into world-wide travels, continue formal education (MA from University of Hawaii), extensive self-study of history, politics, and the arts, and considering every person she encountered as someone from whom she could learn. She was a Mensa. It would be impossible to calculate the number of lives touched by Debbie in her myriad professional and volunteer capacities. She served her English students at Saint Andrews School, her clients in the travel industry as a marketing representative and those she helped as a Certified Financial Planner. She brightened the lives of many as a docent at the Honolulu Museum of Art, as a chess mentor at Palolo Elementary School, as a parishioner at the Newman Center, and the numerous people whose suffering was lifted for whom she performed Healing Touch at Queen's Hospital. As a member of the Garden Club of Honolulu, her photos of historic Hawaiian gardens were selected to be displayed at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. Her creativity burgeoned into the realm of floral design. Some of her designs won awards at the Honolulu Museum of Art. Debbie was honored in life by the love of many friends and colleagues and the laughter and tears they shared. We can honor her memory by approaching each day with the attitude that has become known to ohana as 'Debbie's prayer'. "Thank you God for another day, to live and laugh, and love and play. " In lieu of flowers, the family requests that the donations be made to a charity of your choice. Celebration of Life will be held in January.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
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