Longtime St. John's city councillor, realtor Debbie Hanlon dies after battle with cancer
CBC
Longtime St. John's city councillor and real estate agent Debbie Hanlon has died.
"Debbie was a force of nature — her energy, passion, and larger-than-life spirit left a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing her," said the city council in a statement on Wednesday morning.
Hanlon's family said in a statement posted to Facebook that Hanlon died Tuesday at the Health Sciences Centre, surrounded by loved ones, after a long battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
"She loved her city and being your city counsellor. She loved being your realtor. She loved her community. She loved her friends and family. She loved children and especially loved being a grandma. Debbie truly loved her life," said the post,
Hanlon announced her cancer diagnosis in February of 2024.
In a Facebook post, Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O'Leary said she's heartbroken over Hanlon's death.
"Debbie was colourful, fun-loving and lit up every room she entered. Seniors loved her and she knew how to take the sting out of the tough stuff in a political world by spreading optimism and joy," wrote O'Leary.
Hanlon was first elected to the city council in 2008, representing Ward 4. After a hiatus from municipal politics, she was also elected in 2017 as a councillor-at-large, and re-elected in 2021.
"Throughout her decade-long service, she was a tireless advocate for her constituents, championing local issues with determination and heart. Additionally, staff were very fond of Debbie and admired her dedication to the community," said the council's statement.
To mark her death, flags in front of city hall will be flown at half-mast and other city buildings until sunset of the day of the funeral service.
Fellow councillor Maggie Burton described Hanlon as a loving mother, friend and colleague.
"She held the people she loved very close to her, and she would do anything for them. She would stretch the boundaries of what was possible in order to make the people she loved happy," Burton wrote on social media.
"In other words, she would go to the end of the earth for you if she loved you. And not only that, she was very generous with her love; it was abundant. That is the first reason I loved her."
More than a year ago, Hanlon told CBC News she was committed to fighting the disease.
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