In loving memory of 

Dr. Patricia (“Patty”) Lynne DeBruin

May 15, 1968 – November 6, 2026

Millfield, Ohio

Dr. Patricia (“Patty”) Lynne DeBruin (née Peterson), DNP, APRN, 58, passed on the evening of Friday, November 6, 2026 at her home in Millfield, Ohio, surrounded by her loved ones. Patty was born on May 15, 1968, in Chicago, Illinois to Mrs. Lynne Peterson (née Beauchamp) and Mr. Edwin (“Ed”) Peterson. A short few years later, the family relocated to New Marshfield, Ohio, where Patty spent her formative years.

A 1986 graduate of Alexander High School, Patty continued her education by enrolling in Hocking College’s nursing program earning her Licensed Practical Nurse and Registered Nurse degrees before transferring to Ohio University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Patty was a lifelong learner, returning to school multiple times to further her education. In adulthood, Patty earned her Master’s in Nursing from Otterbein University, and her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Chamberlain University.

Patty began her career working at O’Bleness Hospital, as well as several nursing homes around Athens County, prior to moving to Columbus, Ohio to work in the emergency room at Riverside Methodist Hospital. After several years, Patty returned to Athens County to work in Student Health Services in Ohio University’s Hudson Hall. During this time, Patty also earned her Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) certification. Patty spent ten years working in Student Health Services before moving to Holzer Health Systems in Athens to work as an orthopedic nurse practitioner and serve as first assist in orthopedic surgery. She briefly left Holzer Health Systems to work as a rheumatology nurse practitioner at Camden Clark Medical Center in Parkersburg, West Virginia, though she would return to Athens, and Holzer Health Systems, after two years. Patty ended her distinguished career at Holzer, serving as a Family Practice Certified Nurse Practitioner. During her second stint at Holzer, she also precepted nurse practitioner students and served as the Advanced Practice Provider Liaison. Altogether, Patty worked for approximately sixteen years at Holzer Health Systems.

Throughout her career, Patty was known to be quite instinctual and intuitive with her care, tirelessly advocating for her patients, each of whom she viewed as individuals deserving the best possible care she could offer. Her efforts did not go unnoticed, as many former patients would tell her that she saved their lives through her diligent, careful, and deeply relational work. Patty focused her doctorate project on learning about and working to implement more inclusive healthcare practices – such as attentiveness to differences in Western and Eastern medicine, better serving transgender and other LGBTQ+ patients, and trying to eliminate racially discriminatory practices – through providing training to her colleagues and working such practices into her own work.

Patty met her eventual husband of 33 years, Trent, through mutual friends during her time working at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus. They briefly dated before becoming engaged, getting married shortly thereafter on April 24, 1993, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Athens, Ohio. The pair settled in Obetz outside of Columbus, Ohio, and across the following five years, Patty and Trent started a family, with Patty giving birth to three children – a son, Jed, a daughter, Hannah, and a daughter, Claire. The young family moved to Athens County in early 1998 when two key opportunities arose: Patty had the chance to move back home to work at Student Health Services at Ohio University, and Patty and Trent had the chance to buy a farm in Millfield.

While deeply devoted to her work, Patty’s children were her foremost priority, and her family brought her her greatest joy in life. Patty instilled her passion for education in her children, with all three children attending college and earning their bachelor’s degrees, and Jed and Hannah continued on to earn graduate degrees (Jed earned his Master of Arts degree in geography from West Virginia University and his Ph.D. in geography from the University of Kentucky, while Hannah earned her Advanced Practice of Nursing degree from Mount Carmel College of Nursing).

In addition to her passions for her family, education, and her work, Patty demonstrated a willingness to try new things, from creating costumes to dress up in for parties, to trying new recipes, to repainting and redecorating the family home multiple times over the years. She also loved cute shoes, clothes, and toppers for her glasses, frequently buying and swapping out her collections based on new ideas and things that caught her fancy. Her love of all things related to elephants and the color navy blue, however, never faded, and she had many elephant figurines, decorations, and elephant-themed clothing. She also was a voracious reader, participating in reading challenges/ clubs, and listening to murder mystery audiobooks. Later in life, Patty became a cooking aficionado, enjoying many different cooking shows, trying out new meals, and never being limited by a measuring cup. Patty was a first-born, and as such was highly organized and a self-starter, always taking responsibility for planning trip logistics such as hotels, meals, and excursions, as well as handling household bills, healthcare, and education details.

It was important to Patty that her loved ones just be themselves, and that was something that she nurtured in her husband and children, whether that was encouraging them to shave their heads, grow their hair long, or dye their hair red. Patty also encouraged her family to make decisions for themselves, lending a listening ear and providing suggestions and advice but being supportive of whatever decision her family members came to with whatever was bothering them.

Patty loved to stay busy and involved, and she participated in a myriad activities both on and off the farm. On the farm, Patty would castrate and dehorn bull calves, help deliver piglets, and vaccinate all the barnyard animals. Over the years, she would adopt many dogs which she loved to give treats to and to pet and cuddle with every time she saw them. Off the farm, she served as a coach and teacher in numerous roles, including as a CCD (Roman Catholic religious education) teacher, a youth basketball and youth volleyball coach, an adjunct nursing instructor for the University of Phoenix’s online nursing program, and as a ‘murder mystery’ director and actress with Athens Sunrise Rotary. She was also a longtime parishioner at Christ the King University Parish Catholic Church.

Overall, Patty was a smart, witty, and fun woman who loved her family, her dogs, and her patients. She had a smile that would go from ear-to-ear, and she genuinely made you feel like you were the most important person in the world when she was talking with you. Patty was unforgettable, and she will be dearly missed.

Dr. Patricia (“Patty”) Lynne DeBruin was preceded in death by her father, Mr. Edwin (“Ed”) Peterson, and she is survived by her beloved husband, Mr. Trent M. DeBruin, her son, Dr. Jed M. (Dr. Roslyn K. Fleming) DeBruin, her daughter, Mrs. Hannah (Matthew) Walker, her daughter, Mrs. Claire (Gabriel (“Gabe”)) Fuller, her mother, Mrs. Lynne (Edwin) Peterson, her sister, Mrs. Pamela (“Pam”) (Bruce) Buitendorp, and two grandchildren, Willa and Edwin (“Eddie”). Additionally, Patty is survived by numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

Viewing hours are scheduled Wednesday, November 11, 2026, from 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm at Jagers & Sons Funeral Home, 24 Morris Street, Athens, Ohio 45701. Her Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for the following day on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 10 am at Christ the King University Parish Catholic Church, 141 Mill Street, Athens, OH 45701 with Father Tom Nelson as Celebrant.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to be directed to Passion Works Studio and/ or Rotary International (Patty and Trent were members of Athens Sunrise Rotary which is affiliated with Rotary International).

Please share a memory, a note of condolence or sign the online register at http://www.jagersfuneralhome.com/