Debra J. Fricke

Debra J. “Deb” Fricke, 75, of Mt. Pulaski, IL, passed away on Monday, April 6, 2026, at her home.

Debra was born on March 14, 1951, in Lincoln, IL, the daughter of Emmitt and Muriel (Brown) Shellhammer. She married Charles Fricke in 1973. Debra later married Gerald Pharis in 1993. Gerald preceded her in death in 2009.

Debra is survived by her son, Nathan (Heather) Fricke; grandsons, Benjamin (Vianne Taft) Fricke and Jackson Fricke all of Mt. Pulaski; and sister-in-law, Nicki (Dave) Yemm of Springfield.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Gerald; and one brother, David Shellhammer.

Debra taught music in multiple Logan County Schools including Mt. Pulaski, Hartsburg, and Lincoln. She was an accomplished pianist and was the church organist at the First United Methodist Church in Mt. Pulaski for many years.

Funeral services for Debra will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, April 13, 2026, at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Mt. Pulaski, IL. Visitation will take place the night prior on Sunday, April 12, 2026, from 5:00 - 7:00 pm, also at the funeral home. Burial will follow the service at Steenbergen Cemetery in Mt. Pulaski. Memorials may be made in Debra’s name to Memorial Home Hospice.