of Little Rock, AR

April 13, 1949 - November 18, 2024

Deborah Lynn Vantrease passed away November 18th after a courageous battle with lung cancer. She was born on April 13,1949 to John R. and Dorothy Fitzhugh Vantrease.

''Miz Deb,'' as she was affectionately known to most, was a brilliant gardener, stylist and decorator. She could curate beautiful magazine worthy rooms and gardens and went particularly overboard with holiday decorations every year, even once wading hip deep into a snaky creek to get live lily pads to dry and spray paint gold because the fake ones at Hobby Lobby were not big enough. She loved an abundance of twinkling lights and elaborate decorations while watching and reciting ''Christmas Vacation'' repeatedly during the season.

Deb was raised in Malvern, attended and graduated from Malvern High School. She was a talented baton twirler in high school and at State College of Arkansas (now UCA), where she was a member of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority. She loved to twirl Machetes and Fire Batons until, much to her disappointment, the school banned the use of gasoline on the football field. Even late into her midlife years, you might catch her working out on the Stairmaster at home while twirling her batons to the music of Aretha Franklin.

A natural beauty, Deb was Hot Springs County Fair Queen, Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity's 1970 International Dream Girl, and a finalist, representing Arkansas, in the National Maid of Cotton. She advanced to Miss Arkansas twice winning second runner-up as Miss Malvern and Miss Conway.

Upon graduating with a degree in elementary education, Deb taught second grade until her stylistic talents led her to the fur industry where she spent twenty plus years as a furrier at Bensky, Fletcher, and Spector Furs in Little Rock. She was devoted to her customers in the fur industry and made many friends along the way, outfitting Little Rock's finest, with luxuries they didn't know they needed until they met her!

Deb also spent many years working at Fabulous Finds in Little Rock where she assisted her customers to find the perfect item, something usually very ornate and extra-large to beautify their space. ''Go Big or Go Home!'' in other words, she was a maximalist before maximalists were cool. She could always ''squeeze something big'' into the smallest spaces and make it look incredible.

Deb was a devoted daughter, sister to her brother Johnny and wife to her husband of 18 years, Roger Treadwell. In addition to wading in snaky creeks, riding horses and climbing tall ladders to decorate multiple 12' Christmas Trees, she did other courageous things like marrying a man who was single parenting three teenage daughters. She was a great mom, approaching most tense situations with a healthy dose of humor, a pot of strong coffee, a glass of red wine, and vacuuming until the lines in the carpet were just perfect. She loved her family; her daughters and their friends like they were all her own.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, and her husband. She is survived by her daughters Cindi Treadwell-McConnell (Kevin McConnell), Judy Harvey, Missi Walker (Stuart) and grandchildren Bridget Davis (Skye Scott), Spencer Davis, Grayce McConnell, JadeAnn Wilson, South, Katie and Lexie Walker; niece Jenny Welch (James) and their children Katherine and William. She was excited to introduce herself to the newest generation, Davis James Scott, due in February.

The family extends their deepest gratitude to Dr. Konstantinos Arnaoutakis (aka: Dr. A. for ''Awesome'' as she called him), Dr. Sruthi Vellanki and all the caregivers on E7 and A7 at UAMS for making her final months comfortable and peaceful.

Miz Deb loved animals, owning many dogs who were obnoxiously spoiled, slept in her bed and were fed McDonald's burgers or spaghetti with a fork, sometimes. Donations in her memory can be made to the Humane Society of Pulaski County, 14600 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock, AR 72210 or any dog rescue organization of your choice.

The family will hold a private celebration of Deb's extraordinarily decorative life during the holiday season where all the little lights will be twinkling.

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-Chenal Funeral Home
13801 Chenal Parkway
Little Rock, AR  72211
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com