Debra Lou (Buntin) Ortez May 29, 1958 ~ July 10, 2022

Our sweet and loving sister, Debra Lou (Buntin) Ortez passed away suddenly on July 10, 2022 in Grand Junction, CO.
She was born May 29, 1958 in Farmington, NM to Mary Lou Warren and James Floyd Buntin. Her early years were spent in Farmington and in Tucson, AZ. She enjoyed time spent with her grandparents Arvilla and Bert Warren in Monticello, UT. Debbie loved playing with and getting into trouble with her cousins making and throwing mud pies.
Following a family move to Largo FL, Debbie attended elementary, junior high and her sophomore year of high school. She learned to swim in the Gulf of Mexico and loved collecting shells at the beach.
A business opportunity in Monticello brought the family back to Utah and Debbie attended her junior year at Monticello High School. She flourished in the small-town environment, becoming involved in many school activities and reacquainting herself with her many cousins.
After her junior year the family re-located to Salt Lake City where Debbie graduated from Brighton High School in the class of 1976.
After graduation she found her first job with Auerbach’s Department Store, saving enough money to purchase her first car, a 1967 Mercury Cougar.
She then had a career with Zions Bank, working in the credit card department for 13 years.
During the summer of 1977 she met her husband, John Ortez. They were married in Las Vegas, NV in December of that year and were together for 43 years.
Debbie helped her sister Wendy raise her daughters Kelsie and Alexa, as well as her son Jake. Debbie was very involved in the kid’s events and she was always there to lend her support.
In later years, Debbie enjoyed living with Wendy in Draper, UT. She had recently re-located to Grand Junction, CO to be near her sister Amy and her nephew and niece Jason and Jennifer.
Debbie is preceded in death by brother Randy Warren Mosher, mother Mary Lou Kosanke and father James Floyd Buntin.
She is survived by sisters Sheri (Robert) Christensen, Wendy (Bob) Hamblin, Kristy (Steve) Brinkman, and Amy Schierman. She is also survived by ten nieces and nephews, and seven great nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will take place at the Monticello, UT City Cemetery on Monday, July 18, 2022 at 11 a.m.