Deborah A. (Nichols) Weidner

Deborah (Nicholas) Weidner of Paradise Valley, MT died unexpectedly of natural causes in her home on December 15, 2019 with her husband, Joe by her side.Deb was born in Windham, CT on January 18, 1957 to Ronald and Frances Nichols. From an early age, Deb developed a deep love for horses, finally getting her own and riding him all the way home at age 12. Always the rebel, Deb bucked social norms for girls her age, opting instead to ride dirt bikes and muscle cars. Her encyclopedic knowledge of vintage cars made her a favorite for car buffs to engage in a chat.Deb met her soul mate, Joe, through mutual friends. Fairly quickly, both knew that they had met their other half. They married in 1981 and soon after, their daughter Shauna was born in 1982. From the minute their family grew from 2 to 3, both Deb and Joe devoted their lives to the family unit.When a family vacation brought Deb to Montana in 1994, her spirit of adventure got the better of hershe and Joe purchased a piece of land in Paradise Valley on that very trip. It was a dream realized when in 1997, the family relocated to Montana permanently. It took resilience and fortitude to live in a fifth-wheel camper with a teenager while they built their home, and those are exactly some of the qualities that Deb possessed.Deb was a smart, clever, resourceful woman with a warmth that couldnt be matched. She was the best listener youd ever meetshe always heard what was said to her. Deb had a sense of humor that was absolutely unparalleled. Deb expressed a natural artistic ability, whether it was drawing portraits of her family or pets or cartoons to make her loved ones laugh. Deb was thoughtful and artistic, kind and sweet. Debs family will think of her every minute of every day and look for her in every sunset. She will be missed so muchour wife, mother, grandmother and friend.Deb is survived by her loving husband, Joseph Weidner of Paradise Valley; her daughter, Shauna Johnson (Chris Perkins); granddaughter, Jude, of Livingston, MT; brother, Robert Nichols, sister-in-law, Rosemary and brother-in-law, Bill (Becky); numerous nieces and nephews; her beloved dogs Shakespeare and Klaus. She is preceded in death by her parents, Ronald and Frances Nichols and her parents in-law, William and Santina Weidner.In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Stafford Animal Shelter in Debs name. Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements.