Deborah Bernadette Spotted Wood

Deborah Bernadette Spotted Wood, age 67, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones in her home on Monday, September 29th, 2025 after a long battle with cancer.

Deborah, the daughter of Evelyn Wright, was born October 7th, 1957 in Wagner, SD. She graduated from Yankton Public High School in 1976 and is a North East Community College, Norfolk, NE, graduate with her LPN. She then started working at the Norfolk Regional Center, a career which lasted for the next 20 years. After that she sat on the Northern Ponca Restoration Committee Inc. where she helped with the restoration of the Ponca Tribe in 1990. After the Ponca Tribe was reinstated, she got voted on as a chairwoman. Following her time as a chairwoman, she became the tribal health director. She was a proud Ponca Tribal member and she loved her time working there. She eventually went back to what she loved, which was helping and caring for others. She continued working as a private duty nurse up until the end of her career.

Deborah married Eugene Theodore Wright in 1980 in Norfolk NE, where they shared a long and happy marriage. Deborah had many hobbies and was very active in her community. She loved macramé, painting, ceramics, sewing, quilting and tending to her plants. She also enjoyed cooking and she became a master in making frybread. Music, laughter, and good energy was always in her house, which she opened to everyone.

Deborah liked to stay busy, by either spending time with her grandchildren, participating in the Ponca Tribe activities, or attending pow-wows. She also donated her time to the Johnson-O’Malley program, where she sat on the committee that provided supplemental educational services to American Indian students to help them succeed academically and culturally.

Deborah is survived by her 6 children, 4 girls and 2 boys, Wenda Sue Wright, Tyler James Wright, Genessa Lynn Wright, Kendra Rae Arcorn, Jeanette Theodora Wright, and Eugene Theodore Wright Jr.; as well as 5 sisters and 1 brother. She also had many nieces, nephews and grandchildren, that she loved dearly and treated like her own children.

She was loved by so many, and will be remembered for her boundless compassion and unwavering dedication to her loved ones. Deborah's devotion to family was a cornerstone of her life.

A service of remembrance will be held on Thursday, October 2nd at Goglin Funeral Home located in Yankton, SD from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Her funeral will be Friday, October 3rd at 1:30 p.m. at Goglin Funeral Home, followed by a last viewing and lunch with her family.