The Emergency Chaplain
From a young age, Deborah Abner wanted one thing: to make the world a better place. That calling eventually led her to The Salvation Army, where she began in social ministry. Deb quickly climbed the ranks and was promoted to a leadership role in The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS), helping reshape the team to not only provide immediate relief, but to create long-lasting impact for those facing times of crisis. Deb, now not so little, had gotten what she wanted: a better world.
During her time with The Salvation Army, Deb served on a variety of teams and in numerous roles, but the crux of her work remained the same: disaster preparedness and relief. At the Salvation Army, the EDS fleet is at the center of all disaster relief operations. If a fleet is only as good as its command, Deb and her peers operated that fleet like decorated admirals, providing both physical and spiritual aid that would last long after the EDS vans left.
While Deb began her service in 1993 during the Kansas and Missouri floods, by the turn of the Millennium, she was providing relief across the United States. Having worked both in the field and in the office, she became an invaluable asset in the world of disaster services. Her past work and passion for what she did made Deb a quick fit with any EDS team in the country. At the convergence of tragedy and terror, Deb was always a guiding light and a helping hand.
Serving as a Disaster Chaplain, Deb was a beacon of light through the fog of devastation, offering hope and comfort to countless people within The Salvation Army and beyond. In 2001, for example, Debbie provided emotional and spiritual care to first responders in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. She continued that work during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2007 Greensburg, KS tornado bringing comfort and compassion to those facing unimaginable loss.
“You go into it and you are there to witness it more than participate. As a chaplain, what I immediately saw were men and women who needed to cry,” Deb reflected on a podcast a few years ago,
“You pray for the people; I still remember thinking of the people suffering, waiting […] to know if their loved ones had been killed.”
Deb’s experience in New York in 2001 had a lasting impact on her, as she continued to support and even help plan 9/11 remembrance events long after her retirement from The Salvation Army.
After 25 years, Deb’s impact on The Salvation Army and her community had become immeasurable. The number of people provided relief by Deb was well into the thousands, and the programs she oversaw have blossomed into philanthropic marvels. The initiatives created and/or expanded by Deb for the Salvation Army included, but were not limited to disaster preparedness, response initiatives, volunteer training, utility assistance programs, long-term recovery, and emergency management.
In winter of 2026, Deb was promoted to glory, leaving behind a legacy larger than the world she lived in. Outside of The Salvation Army, Deb achieved even more great things. Over 53 years of marriage, she and her husband David built a family with their children Emily and Nathaniel (Nate). Deb also taught disaster relief classes to local leaders and politicians. By the end of her career, Deb had collected almost a dozen certifications and honors in crisis management and disaster relief.
Even today, Deb is making an impact in her community. The creation of The Deborah L. Abner Endowment for Salvation Army Disaster Services after her passing will ensure continued growth for Emergency Disaster Services for years to come. With the additional funds provided through the endowment, The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services will continue to strengthen and expand the team in areas that were important to Deb, including community resilience, long-term care, and recovery.
The endowment, valued at $25,000 will be used to further the mission of The Salvation Army of to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. The money will be used to meet the increase in demand for emergency needs. For example, last year, the EDS team of Kansas and Western Missouri distributed over 6,500 foods items across the division. With the new endowment, the team will be able to distribute more items to more clients
Inside and outside of The Salvation Army, through all that she did for both her peers and strangers, Deb not only succeeded in her goal of making the world a better place, but she did so, permanently.