Deborah Irene Karr, 94, of Sweet Home passed away Saturday. She was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas to Elijah and Florence Kelley.

Her family moved from Arkansas to Yucaipa, California. Debbie married Tom Karr in 1934. Debbie and Tom moved to Grand Ronde and then to Roseburg.

In Yucaipa, California Debbie was rodeo queen of Yucaipa Valley Days Celebration. She was a Cub Scout leader during the 1940s.

Debbie owned and operated La Petite Beauty Salon in Yucaipa with seven employees. She then started her real estate career, owning her own business in Calimesa, California and was president of the Yucaipa Valley board of realtors.

She and Tom sold real estate in Roseburg. After Tom’s passing, Debbie moved to Sweet Home and continued her real estate career with Sweet Home Real Estate. Then she became the Principal Broker at Santiam Real Estate. She opened Sweet Home Properties and ran it until her retirement in the early 1980s. Debbie married Frank McElwain in 1988.

Debbie enjoyed playing pool, boating, hunting, and playing cards. She was a good seamstress. She and her husband, Frank, were very active in the Santiam Sams RV Club for 19 years. Her greatest joy was family get togethers.

She is survived by: her husband, Frank McElwain of Sweet Home; son, John (and his wife, Carolyn) Karr of Sweet Home; 11 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; and three great, great grandchildren.

Debbie was preceded in death by: her first husband, Tom Karr, in 1972; son, Jim, in 1975; and daughter, Ruth Dohn, in 2009.

Arrangements are under the direction of Sweet Home Funeral Chapel.