Deborah Nell Gunther-Hansen

We are deeply saddened to announce the sudden passing of Deborah (Debbie/Deb) Gunther-Hansen on April 13, 2026, due to bacterial meningitis.

Debbie was a force of nature. A community builder. A valued co-worker, A mentor. An advocate. A friend. A Mother. A loving spouse. A Grandmother. An Aunt. She was deeply loved and respected by all who came into her sphere. 

She often seemed superhuman to the people around her. Effortlessly balancing work and life with endless capacity to care for those around her. The "bossiest empath" whose heart only seemed to expand as she got older.

Debbie was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on May 15, 1952 - the youngest child of Emil and Audrey Gunther.

An athlete from an early age, Debbie grew up doing track, playing softball, basketball, and volleyball at a competitive level in public school and then in high school at Aden Bowman Collegiate in Saskatoon.

Debbie continued her enthusiasm for sport and the outdoors throughout her life. She enjoyed camping, canoeing, coaching softball, and playing slo-pitch. Later in life, she pursued her love of singing by joining the Saskatoon singing group, Nephesh Spirit, at Meewasin Valley United Church which was one of her greatest joys. She and I (Cliff) also thoroughly enjoyed our fly-in trips to Hepburn Lake with Debbie's sister Bev, her husband Ron, and their family members.

After her retirement, Debbie and I enjoyed traveling, attending live theatre and musical performances, and spending time with our grandchildren in Iqaluit, Nunavut and later in Hudson, Quebec whenever possible.

She is survived by me (Cliff Hansen), our children, Kristi Hansen (Sheldon Elter) and Mark Hansen (Catherine Couture), our grandchildren, Theo (Theodore) Hansen and Elias Hansen, Debbie's big "little" and special sister Faye Taylor, brother-in-law Ron Berry, numerous very special nephews and nieces, and even a few "great" nephews and nieces. An important granddog Khloe still lives in Edmonton. 

She is predeceased by her brother, Gilbert Gunther, her other special sister, Bev Berry, and her loving parents, Emil and Audrey Gunther. She was also predeceased by special granddog Rango in July 2025.

Debbie entered the College of Physical Therapy at the University of Saskatchewan right after Grade 12. Her class was a remarkable group of "physio sisters" who remained closely connected to each other after they received their diplomas. This was the "formidable" Class of '72. Reunions were held religiously every 5 years with the 50th anniversary reunion celebrated in Parksville on Vancouver Island recently.

She began her work in Regina at Wascana Hospital in 1973 along with a few other members of the Class of '72. This was a crazy time of Wascana parties complete with skits, music, and much laughter, involving many health workers from all Regina hospitals. Hard to believe, but they worked as hard as they played.

Debbie and I met through mutual friends after one of her softball games in Regina. She was a little self-conscious at the time wearing her green ball uniform. As a fellow member of the shortstop club, I must admit she was an incredibly good ball player - and extremely competitive. This was no surprise because her father Emil was a member of the famous Gunther family baseball team from Lanigan which included 3 Gunther sisters. This family team later entered the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame. 

As she so bluntly put it to me when I came to visit her for a tour of Wascana Hospital, "you're going to have to move faster if you want to keep up." It has been that way ever since! Debbie also had an interest in sports medicine at this time and worked as a physiotherapist/ trainer at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

We were married December 4, 1976, at St. Martin's United in Saskatoon where Debbie had been a Sunday School teacher during high school.

After moving to Saskatoon in 1977, she began work at the University Hospital Neurology Department. She was always appreciative that Marilyn McPherson became her boss again (Marilyn was her first boss at Wascana), and for her lifelong friendship with Karin Buchanan who was a Social Worker in this department.

She moved to the Kinsmen Children's Centre after a couple of years where she got to work with "kids" again which was always her main work passion. This was also a special place for her to work with such talented, dedicated, and fun physiotherapists under the supervision of Barb Hurlburt. 

We moved to Winnipeg in 1983/84 because of my transfer to the Acklands Ltd. head office. Debbie then worked part-time at the Health Sciences Centre - Children's Hospital. Our family became close to a few couples attached to Acklands in Winnipeg due to the organizational skills of Linda Omichinski. (a.k.a. Mrs. O).

Debbie settled back at the Alvin Buckwold Child Development Centre (KCC) in Saskatoon from 1986-2012 after our move back to our current home. She was always so grateful that Barb and Marilyn (previously) were her bosses for much of her lengthy career. Debbie also had a special interest in the clinical teaching of physiotherapy students during these years. 

Every client was special to Debbie. However, she became especially close to "adopted" daughter Cindy Karstens (later Leggott) and was a special "Mom" to her and later to her husband Kelly, and then as a "Grandma" to Anieka and Eli.

After leaving the KCC and the Saskatoon Health Region in 2012 she spent approximately 10 years doing independent physiotherapy contract work in the La Ronge area before her official retirement in 2022. It was important to her to say she had been a physio for 50 years. She loved being a physio. She stated many times "I was meant to do this!"

We would like to acknowledge the EMT response teams for their efficient and compassionate efforts during the recent health incident. We are also so grateful to the fabulous ICU care and compassionate care team led by Dr. Jeremy Katulka, the ICU nurses, the many nameless ICU faces, and special ICU social worker Reena Hipfner. 

Our family is grateful for the time spent with this marvelous person Debbie/ Deb/ Mom/ Grandma. We just wanted more - more time with her, just more! We know others wanted more too.

Thanks to PrairieView Crematorium and Memorial Services for their assistance with arrangements. 

An informal celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 20th from 1:30 to 4:30 in an open area in North Meewasin Park located east of Whiteswan Drive/ Spadina Crescent across the road from the end of Assiniboine Drive in Saskatoon. Please click here to see separate map showing location. Or click here for a google map location. 

Please bring your own lawn chairs, water bottles, and snacks. There will be no formal speeches or testimonials. It will be a time of mingling within groups and across groups to share memories, stories, and laugh together.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to any of the following 3 Saskatoon organizations during this celebration of life or at any time:

· Physiotherapy Department at the Alvin Buckwold Child Development Centre (through the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation)

· Saskatoon Community Advocacy and Support Inc. (formerly Riverbend Integrated Community Ministries) - E-transfers to gjstevens@sasktel.net.

· Summit Outreach and Counselling  

- Note - if donations to Summit Outreach and Counselling received exceed a total of $2,000.00 or more, Debbie will donate her canoe to Summit for resale.

Our family hopes there will be opportunities to reminisce and share stories with many of you in the upcoming months.

A separate family gathering will occur later in the summer.