Debra "Debbie" Sue (Eyster) Somerlott

The world became a bit less bright on the morning of July 31 when Debbie Somerlott passed away.

Debbie was born to Bill and Margie Eyster at Ft. Smith, Arkansas, on July 29, 1955, during Bill’s Army enlistment. In 1957, Debbie and her family moved to Tri-State Airport in Angola, where she lived until she left for college. She had a fun and busy childhood, making friendships that lasted her entire life. She enjoyed school but really enjoyed after-school activities such as band, singing with the Swing-Gals, and especially being an important part of the first group of pom-pom girls at Angola High School, where she made even more friends.

Being raised at the airport, Debbie soloed four airplanes on her 16th birthday, and it was around then that she decided that she wanted a career as a flight attendant, specifically for Delta Airlines. After earning her associate’s degree at Ball State, she was hired by Delta and began her career in March of 1976. While based in New Orleans, Debbie met and fell in love with a fellow flight attendant, Greg Hermanns, and they were married on June 21, 1980. Their first child, Adam arrived and a few years later their first daughter, Gretchen arrived. They moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1986 where their family was completed by the addition of their youngest daughter, Lauren. Deb and Greg raised their family there while continuing to work for Delta.

Their lives were shaken when Greg was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, and after several years of treatment, Greg passed in 2010. Debbie continued to raise her family alone, and also continued her career at Delta, which finally reached its conclusion in July of 2020, after 44 continuous years of service, a truly remarkable career. She then threw herself into retirement, putting her energies into her beloved granddaughters, CJ, Avery, Meliah, and Oaklynn. She also discovered the joys of pickleball, remodeling her condo in Angola, being out on the lake, and spending time with long-cherished friends.

Debbie’s life took a big turn after reconnecting with an old Angola classmate, David Somerlott in late summer of 2024. They quickly became inseparable and embarked on a whirlwind of activities together. Debbie was diagnosed with cancer in May of 2025 and began treatment. David proposed marriage, and they were married on November 15 of that year. Debbie responded well to treatment and resumed many previous activities, but her cancer aggressively returned at the beginning of this July, and she left us several weeks later.

This summary of Debbie’s life would not be complete without emphasizing the kind of person she was. Anyone who had spent time with her would tell you that she was one of the nicest people they had ever known. She was optimistic, friendly, upbeat, gracious, and empathetic to a degree that is rarely seen. Literally hundreds of comments on social media attest to this, like this one by a fellow flight attendant, Teri: “Heaven welcomes an angel, but feeling such a loss here. So loved were Debbie and Greg. I think of them synonymous with all things wonderful shared in the Cincinnati base. With that beautiful smile and twinkle in her voice, it might have been a work day, but it was never a day of work when you were Debbie. I remember her love for her lifelong friends from her Indiana hometown. There was always a sparkle when she spoke of you. And David, thank you for joy you brought to her these recent years. To Debbie’s family, we share in your loss of such a kind and always gracious person.”

Debbie was preceded in death by her husband Greg Hermanns and is survived by husband David Somerlott, Debbie’s children Adam Hermanns (Heather), and granddaughter CJ, Gretchen Hermanns (Eddie Gabriel) and granddaughters Avery, Meliah, and Oaklynn, and Lauren Hermanns; her stepsons Shane Somerlott (Anna) and granddaughters Layla, Ava and Sadie, Shawn Somerlott (Maddie) and granddaughter Charli, Matt Somerlott (Emily) and grandson Brennan; parents Bill and Margie Eyster, sister Lu Ann McArdle (Tim), and brother Bill (Ann); and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial Services will be at 1:00 PM, August 11, 2026, at Peace Lutheran Church, 355 IN-120, Fremont, IN 46703 with Rev. Jared E. Rudolph officiating. Visitation will be from 11 AM-1 PM, August 11, 2026, at Peace Lutheran Church prior to the service.

Donations in Debbie’s memory may be made to Parkview Hospice or Peace Lutheran Church.