Obituary of Deborah Lynn Sjoquist
Deborah Lynn (Murray) Sjoquist, known to her loved ones as Debbie, passed away peacefully on May 2, 2023, in her home in the Richmond Beach Community of Shoreline, Washington, at the age of 71 after a long struggle with congestive heart failure. Debbie was born on October 13, 1951, in Kansas City, Missouri, to her parents, James and Hester Murray as the youngest of four children, Catherine Murray, Thomas Murray and Janet Murray (d: 2019).
Debbie is survived by her devoted husband of 35 years, Allen Sjoquist, her son Matthew Doering (Brooklyn, NY) and his husband Daniel Obst, her daughter Jennifer Doering-Jones (Shoreline, WA) and her husband Steven Jones, and her two cherished grandchildren, Madelyn and Gabriel. She is also survived by her nieces Theresa Tarabochia, Heather Palmer, Christina White, and many cherished cousins, grand nieces and nephews.
Debbie lived a full and happy life, devoted to her family, her passions, and her community. She had a deep love for her family and was fiercely protective of them. Some would say bossy. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy, and she loved nothing more than spending time with them.
Debbie loved seven things more than anything else in the world: her immediate and extended family, her gardening, culinary adventures in the kitchen, design and decor, getting out and exploring new places, making lists, and telling other people what to do.
After working in corporate life at Budget Car Leasing for nearly a decade, Debbie decided to go back to school at Shoreline Community College to pursue her nursing degree. Her side hustle to pay for school was also a great joy of her life: working as a nanny looking after Peder, Chris and Paul -- the sons of Dr. Eric Larsen and Dr. Katherine Zufall.
She worked many nursing roles at locations around the City of Seattle, including at Richmond Beach Internal Medicine. She stepped back from nursing to care for her grandchildren and her mother.
Debbie will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and community. She will be remembered for her kind heart, infectious laughter, unwavering love for those around her and reminding people of their proper grammar. Her legacy will live on in the memories of those she touched during her life.
In lieu of flowers, the family ask you to make a donation to the charity of your choice that you believe can help make the world a better place – especially for women and children.
