Debra F Stewart

Debra F. (Hinton) Stewart, 60, of Grand Forks, passed away on January 7, 2026 in her home. She battled a debilitating medical condition for more than a decade that, while it challenged her physically, never dulled her love of finding new experiences and creating lasting memories with her family and friends. A Celebration of Life will be scheduled later in 2026.

Debra was born on October 25, 1965 in Des Moines, IA, the second daughter of LaVeda and Robert Hinton. As a child she fell in love with nature and gardening, animals, and the arts. Her family lived in Des Moines, IA and Ft. Collins, CO before eventually settling in Bismarck, ND. She graduated from Bismarck Century High School, where she excelled academically and displayed an impressive talent for art, particularly her charcoal and pencil drawings of animals.

On May 29, 1985 she married former spouse Dale Stewart, living in Okinawa, Japan, Washington D.C, and finally Grand Forks, ND as he served in the Air Force. She raised their two children, Cameron and Morgan, providing them with the best example of a strong work ethic, sense of responsibility, and love of helping others. She was an enthusiastic supporter of their athletic and artistic interests and was always their biggest advocate.

Her love of gardening showed itself at every stop, and her flowerbeds were always the best on every block, winning multiple ‘Yard of the Month’ awards while living on the Grand Forks Air Force Base. An animal lover at heart, her house always had a contingent of cats and dogs, always rescued from shelters or taken off the streets; she was incredibly blessed that her animals always had the best demeanor and the goofiest personalities.

Always striving to be the best version of herself, she undertook her biggest challenge by going back to school while working and dealing with middle-school aged kids. She obtained an A.A. degree from Lake Region State College in 2003 and a B.S. degree in Recreation and Leisure Services from the University of North Dakota in 2005. She spent more than 16 years with the Greater Grand Forks Convention and Visitors Bureau and for the past five years worked for the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services.

Debra is survived by her two children, Cameron (Teresa) Stewart of Maricopa, AZ, and Morgan Stewart and Nathaniel Emmer of Beulah, ND; sister, Michelle (Randy) Vancura; sisters-in-law Teri Stewart and Deanne (Jim) Wangler, brother-in-law Nathan (Marian) Stewart; aunts Mart Lovick, Connie Richardson, Becky Jansonius, and Ruth Ross, uncle Carrol (Linda) Hinton; five nieces, six nephews, four great-nieces, and one great-nephew; longtime friends Kristin Wilcox, Chris (Rich) Lofgren, and Deb Oatman; and former spouse Dale Stewart.

She was preceded in death by parents-in-law, Mary & Terry Stewart; uncles Leo Lovick, Butch Jansonius, and Frank Ross; cousins Jason Richardson and Justin Richardson.

In lieu of flowers, we’d ask that you consider a donation to your local animal rescue in her memory.