Deborah Anne Vidrine Henry
January 20, 1953 ~ February 23, 2023
Deborah Anne Vidrine Henry, 70, of Columbus, died on February 23, 2023 at Columbus Regional Hospital.
Debbie was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on January 20, 1953, the daughter of Philip Henry Vidrine Jr. and Joan Marie Monk Vidrine. She was a 1971 graduate of Lone Oak High School in Paducah, Kentucky. She attended Murray State University in Kentucky for her Bachelor’s Degree in Speech and Hearing, graduating in 1975. She earned two Master’s Degrees; one in Communication Disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 1976, and another in Audiology from Ball State University in 1979.
Debbie retired from Columbus Regional Hospital in 2019 after 40 years of service, including 35 years as the Manager of the Speech and Hearing Department. She made many life-long friends throughout her career. During retirement she volunteered weekly with Book Buddies and Love Chapel.
Debbie enjoyed traveling the world and was able to visit more than 20 countries in her lifetime. She was always keen on adventure, including riding camels in Morocco and going on a hot air balloon ride in Turkey. Most recently she was able to take a family vacation exploring Alaska. She was an avid reader, and would often read a book a day. She was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for more than 35 years.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a daughter, Meredith Henry.
Debbie is survived by her son Nate Henry; daughter Rachel (Richard) Chantler of London, England; sister Pattie Linder of Jackson, Tennessee and brother Philip (Dawn) Vidrine of Memphis, Tennessee, as well as a niece and several nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home on Saturday March 11, 2023 at 11am. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (www.stpaulscolumbus.org).
You are invited to send a message to the family via the funeral home website, www.jewellrittman.com.
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So enjoyed working with Debbie in my years at CRH and the different department joint projects. A sweet and loving lady.
A wonderful manager/supervisor and great friend at CRH for my 20 years as a staff SLP. Debbie and I kept in touch through the years and her death has saddened me immensely. My sympathies, Rachel and Nate – your Mom was a great person and she will be missed. RIP. Lorene Liddle
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I worked on 7 tower for 12 years! Sending prayers for comfort
My deepest condolences to Debbie’s family and loved ones, from her community of volunteers, students, and staff at Schmitt’s Book Buddies program. Debbie was such a dedicated, compassionate, and skilled volunteer. She touched the lives of so many students through her commitment to our program. She had a remarkable way of encouraging students to work hard and try their very best, and she developed deep relationships with them. I learned so much by observing how she connected with the children in our program. She will be greatly missed, but we will be forever inspired by her generous spirit.
Sweetest Sunrise Bouquet was purchased for the family of Deborah Anne Vidrine Henry.
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I have known Debbie for 44 years now. I met her when we both moved to Columbus in 1979. We initially met at Columbus Regional Hospital where we both interviewed for a Speech/Language position. She got the job, and I took a job at Developmental Services. Our friendship continued when I ask her to be my clinical supervisor for my first year of work. It was a joy working with her and I still remember sitting in her first apt in Columbus having a quiet dinner and great conversation sharing our lives. Our paths as friends sharing the same career path continued throughout all of those 40 years. Debbie was always available for me whether it be as a reference for a job or giving me resources on various communication disorders especially audiology information as that was more her specialty. I consider Debbie a lifelong friend and know her spirit will always be with us. Rachel and Nate I know she will forever be present in your hearts and souls. You are not alone.
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Dear Nate and Rachel, I am so sorry to hear of your mother passing. I enjoyed seeing her at St.Paul’s and enjoyed serving Hot Meals with her for Love Chapel. She will be deeply missed.