Deborah Lynn Gunter

Deborah Lynn (Hawkins) Gunter, 61, went to be with her Lord Jesus on Thursday, February 1, 2024. Debbie was the first child born to Jerry Dean Hawkins, Sr. and Linda Lee (Padgett) Hawkins, on December 29, 1962, in Columbus, Mississippi, where her father was stationed in the Air Force. 

Debbie grew up in Charleston, South Carolina with her two younger brothers and a sister where the family attended Charleston Heights Baptist Church. Debbie graduated from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia with a degree in education and a master’s degree in counseling. 

In 1989, Debbie moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, where her father had a business and met Kelton Langley Gunter at First Baptist Church. Kelton and Debbie married August 11, 1990, in the historic St. John’s Lutheran Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. Debbie was the director of the Crisis Pregnancy Center until her first son, Cody Hawkins Gunter, was born in 1994. Debbie was a passionate advocate for the sanctity of life and helping women of all ages. Debbie hosted their first “Happy Birthday Jesus” party with a small group of friends. Despite having said “I’ll never move to Texas” – In 1996, God led Debbie, Kelton, and Cody to move to Kelton’s native state, where they joined Travis Ave Baptist Church, in Fort Worth.

Pastor Michael Dean nominated Debbie to the Board of the Fort Worth Pregnancy Center where she continued her service to women. Debbie, and other women from Travis Ave Baptist, started a Bible Study and a new “Happy Birthday Jesus” Christmas party tradition, creating memories and friendships that have stood the test of time. Debbie loved her family, and she loved people. She loved meeting people and making them feel like family. She embodied the “love one another as I have loved you” commandment. She cared about people and made friends with everyone she met. 

In 2004, Debbie and Kelton moved to Weatherford, Texas and joined North Side Baptist Church. Their three boys attended Trinity Christian Academy. In 2010, her youngest son, Chase Langley Gunter, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and she began searching for the heathiest way to manage the disease. And of course, Debbie developed many friendships with other like-minded mothers. Women commonly refer to her as ‘my sweet friend, Debbie’ and she never stopped being that ‘sweet friend’. 

Without a doubt, one of the highlights of Debbie’s life was July 27th, 2022, when Casey Lee Gunter and his wife, Brianne, brought Caden Paul Gunter into the world, and Debbie became “Grandmommy”.

Debbie was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Robert and Lena Padgett; paternal grandparents, Perry and Evelyn Hawkins; and mother, Linda Lee (Padgett) Hawkins. 

Debbie is survived by her husband, Kelton Langley Gunter; sons, Cody Hawkins Gunter, Casey Lee Gunter and his wife, Brianne Elizebeth (Christianson) Gunter; grandson, Caden Paul Gunter; and son, Chase Langley Gunter; father, Jerry Dean Hawkins, Sr. and his wife, Shari of Charleston, South Carolina; stepfather, Gary Albert of Virginia; brother, Gregory Scott Hawkins and his wife, Sue (Koss) of Knoxville, Tennessee; brother, Jerry Dean Hawkins, Jr. and his wife, Tasha of North Charleston, South Carolina; sister, Amy (Hawkins) (Mabe) McKnight and her husband, Freddy McKnight of China Grove, North Carolina; former sister-in-law, Gina (Matherly) (Hawkins) Viar and her husband, Cris Viar of Lynchburg, Virginia; brother-in-law, Koy Melton Gunter and his wife, Dee of Burleson, Texas; brother-in-law, Kyle Mouaton Gunter and wife, Louise of Dallas, Texas; nephew, Caleb Mabe; niece, Jessica (Hawkins) Ayers and her husband, John Ayers, Jr.; nephew, Joshua Hawkins and his wife, Sierrah (USAF); Morgan Viar and his wife, Kassidy; niece, Madison (Viar) Farrar and her husband, Trey Farrar; niece, Rebecca Hawkins; nephew, Michael Viar; nephew, Riley Hawkins; nephew, Carson Koss; nephew, Bryson Hawkins; niece, AvaClaire Hawkins; niece, Lily Hawkins; nephew, Parker Hawkins; nephew, Kole Gunter; nephew, Garrett Gunter and wife, Haley; niece, Nancy Gunter; niece, Claire Gunter; niece, Haley (McKnight) Lay and her husband, Patrick Lay; and nephew, Kevin McKnight and his wife, Lauren.

A funeral ceremony will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, February 8, 2024, at the North Side Baptist Church, in Weatherford, Texas.

The visitation is from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at Galbreaith Pickard Funeral Chapel, in Weatherford, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Debbie's name to Grace House Ministries, Weatherford, Texas or GoFundMe: Debbie Gunter Medical Expenses. The link can be found at the bottom of this page.

Condolence messages celebrating her life may be submitted on the Tribute Wall.