Deborah Gwen "Debbie" Dorsey's Obituary
Deborah Gwen “Debbie” Dorsey
Debbie was born on September 12, 1964, in Gainesville, Florida to Bruce and Jeanne Dorsey. She passed away in the loving care of Haven Hospice on Monday January 8, 2024.
She graduated from Eastside High School in 1982. Shortly after that, she taught 3-year-olds for 6 years at Wee Folks Nursery School. She worked in the office of Williams Elementary for 12 years. She worked for 20 years in the HR Department of LifeSouth Community Blood Center and retired from there due to her cancer diagnosis.
Debbie was a loving person and made many friends throughout her life. She had a wonderful sense of humor. She loved Christmas and took great pride in decorating the HR Department each year. She was a devoted fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Atlanta Braves. She will be forever missed by all who loved her.
She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Ed and Mary Dorsey, and W. R. “Steve” Stephens and Gladys Stephens Capell.
She is survived by her parents, her aunt and uncle Peggy and Darrow Mixon, and many cousins.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 19, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of Williams-Thomas Westarea 823 N.W. 143rd St. Newberry, FL. with Chaplain Arty Hart as officiant. For those who wish, donations may be made in Debbie’s honor to Haven Hospice Foundation at https://beyourhaven.org/donate.
It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to a beloved member of our LifeSouth Human Resources team. Debbie Dorsey passed away on Monday, January 8th in the care of Hospice.
Debbie began her career with LifeSouth over 20 years ago; working summers as a Document Scanner, before coming on board full-time in the Human Resources department in 2005, as an Administrative Assistant. A role she loved, working with people she loved, for nearly 18 years.
Outside of work, Debbie loved the Braves, the Jacksonville Jaguars, taking long car rides, annual trips to the Tennessee mountains, her mom’s strawberry cake, George Clooney and Christmas. At the holidays, the Human Resources department was donned with stockings, a tree, and colorful decorations, thanks to Debbie. The department’s Christmas party was planned and perfectly choregraphed every year, with games and gifts of which Debbie carefully selected. Over the years, she was also known to share her talents of singing and songwriting, creating special birthday memories for the members of her HR team, whom she loved like family.
Debbie’s manager, Mietra Harris, said that Debbie was hard working, generous, thoughtful, kind, creative and she had a great sense of humor. Debbie had a very warm and welcoming spirit about her, she just had a way of making you feel special. Debbie was so much more than an employee to me; she was my friend and I will miss her. Everyone on the Human Resources team will miss her greatly.
Debbie is survived by her mother and father, Jeanne and Bruce Dorsey, as well as a host of friends and co-workers who will miss her dearly.
What’s your fondest memory of Deborah?
What’s a lesson you learned from Deborah?
Share a story where Deborah's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Deborah you’ll never forget.
How did Deborah make you smile?

