Obituary of Deborah Lynn Hollingworth

It is with great sadness that the family of Deborah Lynn Hollingworth announce her passing on Monday, June 24, 2024 at the Saint John Regional Hospital.

Deb was a person of unparalleled kindness and compassion.  Family was everything to her, though her love of hockey, and in fact all sport, were a close second.  She was present at every rink, riding ring, baseball diamond and dance recital that any one of the kids competed in. She was fiercely proud of the athletic and academic accomplishments of every single one of her nieces and nephews and enamoured with the antics of the littlest ones.

Deb was born in Fredericton New Brunswick on September 8, 1950. She graduated with her nursing degree from Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal in 1971.  She worked four years at the Royal Victoria, before moving with the love her life, Steve Hollingworth, to Toronto.  She began nursing at the Toronto General and became nurse manager of Urology a few years later. In 1980 she became nurse manager of the ENT unit, holding that position for nine years.  Deb lost Steve in February of 1989, after a courageous battle with cancer.  She took a leave from her position to keep him at home and comfortable for the duration of his illness.  She subsequently moved back to Fredericton in the fall of 1989 to be with family and to begin work at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital.  Deb was proud of her Bachelor of Nursing degree, which she obtained at UNB while working at the Chalmers.  She became Nurse Manager of 4SE and held this position until her retirement in November 2014.

Deb was predeceased by her father and mother, Gerald and Muriel Saunders; her husband, Steve Hollingworth; her sister, Jeanette Seymour; brother-in-law, Warren and her favourite niece and dear friend, Janice Edwards.  She is survived by her five Seymour nephews, Tim (Andrea), Randy (Karla), Chris (Tammy), Peter (Michelle) and Jamie (Lexie); seven great-nephews; five great-nieces; and 13 great-great nieces and nephews.

The family is sincerely grateful to the teams on 4NE and ICU at the DECRH, and SICU staff from the Saint John Regional Hospital who did so much to ease her pain and care for the family these past few weeks. 

Visitation will be held at York Funeral Home, 302 Brookside Drive, on Friday June 28, 2024 from 6-8 pm. The Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, June 29 at 1 p.m. at York Funeral Home’s T. Gordon MacLeod Memorial Chapel.  In lieu of flowers, Deb would be delighted to know that donations were made to the Brendan Oreto Foundation that provides underprivileged children in Fredericton an opportunity to experience hockey with their friends. Personal condolences may be offered through www.yorkfh.com