BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Debbie J. Cox Bramel, 57, of Bowling Green, Ky., passed away on July 9, 2011, from a sudden, unexpected illness. Born and raised in Beckley, she was the daughter of Nancy Trail O'Dell and the late Elmo Treavor Cox, and stepfather, the late A. Ralph O'Dell. Debbie was a 1971 National Honor Society graduate of Woodrow Wilson and a Who's Who graduate of Western Kentucky University with a major in Clinical Psychology. She also studied in Creel, Mexico. Debbie was a social worker in both Michigan and Kentucky for 33 years. She was named Kentucky District Social Worker of the Year in 2004 and 2007 and then State Social Worker of the Year in 2007. Debbie was fortunate to be able to retire in 2009 and enjoy her family, friends, dogs and home. She loved quiet mornings outside with her coffee, dogs and birds, and her days filled with laughter and joy with family and friends. She was truly a kind and compassionate soul who touched all she met and will never know how much she is missed. She was of the Episcopal faith and very spiritual. One of her favorite passages was The Footprints of God. She also saved several lives, giving second chances, through organ donation. Those left to cherish her memory are her loving mother, Nancy J. O'Dell; her husband of 33 years, David Bramel; and daughter, Christie Bramel, both of Bowling Green; two sisters, Connie J. Costello and her husband, Sandy, of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Robin L. Cox and her husband, Jeff, of Charleston; niece Kim Costello Carmichael and her husband, David, of Greenville, S.C.; her best friend and neighbor, Susan McQueen; her beloved poodle, Muffin; and all of the hearts she touched along her life journey. In lieu of flowers, please make donations of sympathy to the Humane Society or Pet Pantry of your choice, in Debbie's memory. Arrangements by J.C. Kirby & Sons Funeral Chapels, Bowling Green.

“And never, never be afraid to die,
for I am waiting for you in the sky.”