Chamber banquet honors many contributions by Jasper people

Debney

Citizen of the Year

Estelle Debney was selected by the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce as the Citizen of the Year at the annual banquet last Friday.

Debney graduated from Jasper High School, moved to Orange and worked during the war for DuPont Chemical.

According the biography read at the banquet, "She was traveling by bus to Jasper to visit family and a young man who had just returned from the war (World War II) offered her his seat on the bus. This led to a conversation, that led to her sending him a Christmas card, that led to them being happily married for nearly 60 years."

Estelle and Buck Debney eventually retired to Jasper, where they have restored the oldest house in Jasper, as verified by the Texas Historic Commission.

Debney serves on the Jasper Historic Main Street Committee, teaches Sunday school, has served as president of the Jasper Woman's Civic Club and as a district representative.

"If you can't find her at a meeting for one of these organizations, she is down at the Arboretum working the dirt, or around town raising funds for the Arboretum," according to the chamber.