Coping with Grief
We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. Enter your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. Messages run for up to one year and you can stop at any time. Your email will not be used for any other purpose.
Debbie Lynn Jackson Kope, a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away in Gastonia , NC, on the afternoon of Friday, June 19th, 2026. Debbie was born on Wednesday, September 26th, 1956, in Lincolnton, NC, to Helen Jackson Walker and father. Her kindness, vibrant spirit, and unwavering love for her family will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Debbie is survived by her devoted husband, Butch, who remained by her side through decades of love and companionship. She leaves behind her beloved children, Justin Sikes and his wife Jessica, and Lynn Durst and her husband Joshua. She was the proud and joyful grandmother to Allyson Bess (Tyler), Sydney Sikes, Madison Sikes, Landon Durst, and Kenneth Durst (step- grandson), and took immense delight in her role as great-grandmother to Paisley Faye Bess and Baiden Bess. Debbie also held dear the special bond she shared with her special cousins, numerous nieces, and nephews.
Family meant everything to Debbie. As the matriarch, she enjoyed hosting family days every other Sunday, creating a warm gathering space filled with laughter and cherished memories. Her siblings, Patty Barnett (Daniel) and Steve Jackson (Starlene), along with their families, grieve her loss yet treasure the moments shared. She also leaves behind her sister-n-law and family, Mary, Lyndon, and Chloe Elgin of Canada. Preceding Debbie in death was her mother Helen Jackson Walker and father, brother, and Aunt Marilyn Holbrooks.
Debbie loved immensely and loved alike! She earned an associate's degree and was also a certified phlebotomist. She was an owner/Operator of a family care home. She dedicated many years service as a secretary in The Gaston County School System, leaving a lasting impact on both colleagues and students alike.
She was a multifaceted woman, she was computer savvy, always lending a helping hand to anyone for computer help. Her passion was also for bargain shopping finding a unique deal was one of her talents. She loved creating special crafts for her grandchildren and watching them enjoy them. Her vast love for hummingbirds, peacocks and beautiful flowers were all apart of her spirit. An avid traveler, Debbie particularly cherished trips to the mountains of Tennessee. Those who knew her were well aware of her famous chicken salad, which will be fondly remembered.
Visitation for Debbie Lynn Kope will be held at Woodlawn Funeral Home Chapel in Mount Holly, NC, on Wednesday, June 24th, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm. Arrangements have been lovingly provided by Woodlawn Funeral Home, with sincere gratitude extended to Stanley Pentecostal Holiness Church for their support and compassion.
Debbie's legacy of love, strength, and devotion will live on in the hearts of her family and friends forever. As we remember her, may we always strive to follow her example of generosity, warmth, and resilience.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Debbie Lynn (Jackson) Kope, please visit our floral store.
American Cancer Society
P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City OK 73123
Tel: 1-800-227-2345
Web: http://www.cancer.org/