Carbondale Native Debora Keefer Dies at 64 After Colon Cancer Battle

Glenwood Springs —"Debbie passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of July 14 at Anschutz Medical Center from complications of colon cancer. She was 64."

That is the lead from the Post Independent’s obituary for Debora Ann (Pratt) Keefer. The details are straightforward. The loss is not.

Keefer grew up in Carbondale. She knew the Roaring Fork Valley well. She attended Roaring Fork High School, graduating in 1980. She was on the cheerleading team for boys basketball. She served in student council. She worked in the kitchen. She played volleyball.

She didn't stay in the valley forever, though. She went to Mesa College. She earned an Associate Degree in 1982. Then she moved to the Denver area. She took a job with United Health Insurance Company. Her job was reviewing and paying claims.

It was steady work. It allowed her to work from home later on. That flexibility changed how she lived. She split her year between Denver and Holden Beach, North Carolina. She bought a vacation home there in 2018.

The beach was her love. She would walk for miles. She listened to the waves. She collected seashells for craft projects. She had friends there. She spent time with them on and off the sand.

She was known for her birthday cards. They were filled with confetti. You opened the envelope. The confetti spilled out everywhere. It was a small thing. It was also a signature move.

Keefer was passionate about helping baby turtles born on Holden Beach. That was her big cause. It wasn't just a hobby. It was a commitment.

She died at 64. The cause was colon cancer. The announcement came from the Post Independent.

Her family remains in the region. Her parents, Nick and Fran Pratt, live in Glenwood Springs. Her son, Daniel Harms, lives in Littleton. His wife is Kayleigh. They have a daughter named Lilya.

Her brother, Don Pratt, lives in Wellington with his wife Bobbi Ryan. Her niece Jennifer Ramos is in Cleveland, Tennessee. Her nephew Cody Pratt lives in Windsor. Her significant other, James Torres, is in Littleton.

She is survived by many friends and relatives. She is preceded in death by her grandparents: Harry and Myrna Raye Pratt, and Victor and Sidonia Jammaron.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. The Post Independent reported this detail. No date was set yet.

If you want to honor her, skip the flowers. The obituary asks for donations to the Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program, Inc. You can mail a check to P.O. Box 487 in Supply, North Carolina. Or you can donate online at shop.hbturtlewatch.org. You can also give to a local animal shelter of your choice.

Keefer gave homes to many dogs and cats over the years. She liked animals. She liked the ocean. She liked making people smile with confetti.

She retired from United Health Insurance Company in 2023. That was three years ago. It gave her time to focus on the beach and the turtles.

The valley remembers its own. Carbondale is where she started. Glenwood Springs is where her parents still are. The connection remains.

The obituary is brief. It covers the basics. Birth. Death. Family. Career. Hobbies. It doesn't try to be poetic. It just lists the facts.

Debora Ann Keefer is gone. The turtles on Holden Beach will keep hatching. The seashells will keep piling up. The confetti will keep spilling.

That’s the story.