Deborah "Debbie" Mae (Oshel) Coons

Deborah Mae Coons, age 73 of Wellsville passed away Friday, May 23 at Homestead of Eudora. Memorial services will be 10AM, Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at Wilson’s Funeral Home in Wellsville. Visitation will be 6-8PM, Tuesday evening, also at Wilson’s. Interment of both Debbie and Clyde together will follow services at the Wellsville Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the WJRC in care of Wilson’s, PO Box 486, Wellsville, KS 66092.

Deborah Mae Coons was born November 2, 1951, in Gardner, Kansas the daughter of Francis Boyd and Barbara Mae (Syme) Oshel. She grew up in Wellsville and graduated from WHS in 1970. Debbie worked for ATT in Gardner out of high school and on September 25, 1972, she married Clyde Lin Coons in Ottawa, Kansas. They were married 54 years before his passing in April. After a short move to the East coast with Clyde while serving in the US Army, she came back to Wellsville. Debbie began driving a school bus for USD 289 in 1977, and in August of 2003, began keeping the grounds at the schools as well. She was a constant presence on school grounds and at sporting events. She coached volleyball for many years at WHS and softball in the summers for the WJRC. She was a skilled and competitive coach, a trait she passed down to her own daughters. Debbie retired from USD 289 in May of 2015. She enjoyed and cared deeply for the many children she transported to and from school, coached in sports and interacted with on a daily basis for nearly 40 years. She enjoyed going to Beaver Lake and camping with her husband and family, and also loved to golf. What she loved most was following her grandchildren around to their various sporting events and activities. She was a loving mother and grandmother and a devoted wife.

Debbie loved planting flowers and landscaping and had a vast vegetable garden every year. She will be missed by all those who had the fortunate opportunity to have her in their lives.

Deb is survived by her daughters; Bernie Smith and Brandon of Wellsville; Christy Bell and Jason of Wellsville; brother, JR Oshel and Teresa of Wellsville; brother, Bill Oshel and Paula of Wellsville; sister, Mary Bond and Randy of Garnett; sister, Barbara Burgoon of Wellsville; sister, Linda Elliott and Steve of Baldwin City; sister, Colleen “Coco” Kalleck and Randy of Mound City, sister, Jackie Greenlee and Phillip of Edgerton; 6 grandchildren: Bryce Smith of Wellsville; Trajen Smith of Sterling, KS; Ian Smith of Salina, KS; Carson Bell of Wellsville; Gracie Bell of Wellsville; Krystle Ivey of West Monroe, LA and one great-grandson, Cole Ivey of West Monroe, LA.

Debbie is preceded in death by her parents and husband, Clyde (April 29, 2025).

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Deborah "Debbie" Mae (Oshel) Coons, please visit our floral store.