Debra "Debbie" Lea Calligan 1955 - 2014

CALLIGAN, OSIPOWICZ

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/7/2014 at 21:32:38

Sioux City Journal
24 September 2014

SIOUX CITY | Debra "Debbie" Lea Calligan, 59, of Portland, Ore., formerly of Sioux City, lost her long battle with the disease of Sarcoidosis, and died on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014, in Portland.

Debbie was born on March 10, 1955, in Sioux City, the daughter of Vince and Marie (Osipowicz) Calligan. She graduated from East High School in 1973.

After graduation she attended Western Iowa Tech Community College to receive certification as a surgical technician. She was a single mom for her son, Merrick, and moved to Portland in 1986. She continued to work as a surgical technician in a Portland and earned her master’s degree from Portland State University in special education in 2000.

She enjoyed working with children with special needs. In her free time, she enjoyed art and was talented in drawing and embroidery crafts. She enjoyed animals and always could be found with her white furry companion, Ricki, one of her many rescues. She had a large community of friends from both Sioux City and Portland.

Survivors include her son, Merrick Alexander Calligan of Portland; one sister, Jean Calligan (Dr. Ivan Salmons) of Sioux City; one niece, Joye Cook Levy (Scott Levy) of Colorado Springs, Colo.; a grandniece, Ellie Violet, and grandnephew, Gabriel Vincent of Colorado Springs.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and a sister, Patricia A. Calligan of Portland