Facts
Full Name: Deborah Darlene Nelson [Née Faulkner]
Date of Birth: September 11th, 1964
First Appearance: 1.04 “You’re an Ocean”
Current Occupation: Therapist, Harper Smites Clinic
Doctor of Psychology, Degree, Cuttlebone University
Previous: Untold
Hometown: Cuttlebone City
Current Residence: 510 Auburn Rd., Stone Creek. [Nelson Home]
Previous: Dorm Rooms in Cuttlebone University, Cuttlebone City
31st Street, Loft #17, Cuttlebone City
Relations
Parents: Cameron & Fiona Faulkner
Siblings: Untold
Children: Laurie Jonas [w/ Frank Nelson]
Kyle Nelson [w/ Frank Nelson]
Davis Nelson [w/ Frank Nelson]
Significant Other(s): Frank Nelson; Married, 1984
Previous: Untold
Others: Franklin Nelson [Father-In-Law; Deceased]
Mary Jo Nelson [Mother-In-Law; Deceased]
Charlene Nelson [Sister-In-Law]
Michael Jonas [Son-In-Law]
Colin Jonas [Grandson]
Ava Jonas [Granddaughter]
Sebastian Hahn [Step-Son]
Caitlyn Thurlow [Friend]
Helen Tyree [Former Best Friend]
History
Deborah Darlene Faulkner was born the daughter of a politician, Cameron Faulkner, and a local painter, Fiona Faulkner, who at one point owned an art gallery that Deborah spent a lot of time in as a child. Growing up in the city of Cuttlebone City Deborah learned the power of connection and knowledge and while she enjoyed painting very much, she knew that her education was the key to getting everything she wanted. She attended Cuttlebone University and met Frank Nelson while at a local dive bar and since has thought of him as a ‘project’ of sorts. They spent the next several years living in Cuttlebone City and married in the summer of 1984.
In 1986 they got a call from Frank’s mother that his father, Franklin Nelson, had had a heart attack and her anxiety meant that Frank should return to Stone Creek. Desperate for a change of pace, Deborah convinced Frank that they should go visit his family and before they new it they had re-located to the small blossoming city. She gave birth to their daughter, Laurie Jolene Nelson in 1986 on the same day as Frank’s birthday. Although they hadn’t always had an easy marriage, especially when Deborah started working at Harper Smites Clinic, they continued to stay married. For her birthday, Frank bought her stock in Thurlow Lumber Mill Enterprises.
Her mother came down for a visit when Deborah was pregnant with her second child, and because Fiona didn’t agree with the lifestyle that her daughter now subjected herself too, Fiona stressed Deborah out and caused her to give birth to a baby boy that they named Kyle Nelson. Deborah insisted that Fiona stop blaming everything on Frank and leave them alone. To obey her daughter’s wishes, Fiona left Stone Creek. They wouldn’t have another visit from Fiona until 1991 when she insisted that Deborah come to Cuttlebone City to visit Fiona’s ailing mother. Deborah did this and reconnected with an old flame, but because she was married, Deborah declined his offer of going on a date and after saying her goodbyes to her grandmother, Deborah left Cuttlebone City.
Deborah gave birth in 1994 to another son, Davis Nelson, who they had trouble raising because of both their busy schedules. Their daughter, Laurie, helped raise Davis until she left Stone Creek with her fiance, Michael Jonas in 2005. Deborah and Frank would continue investing themselves into their jobs, after graduation, their oldest son relocated from Stone Creek as well. Leaving them with Davis.
Start of the Series...
In 2009, her husband started a secret affair with Lucy Hahn in which Deborah was suspicious of but couldn’t prove. That same year their youngest child was having trouble in school and insisted that he relocate with his sister Laurie because she was more like a parental figure than either of his parents were. Deborah was heart broken because all of her children had left Stone Creek and left her with Frank. She had become self conscious of herself and less of the strong determined woman that she once was. Her best friend, Helen Schmidt, had ridiculed Deborah for being weak. Which caused Deborah to face her demons and ultimately force Frank out of his affair. In 2010 she challenged his love for her by hand selecting Isobel Cortez, as his newest secretary, once Lucy left town.
But this caused even more friction as Deborah found herself not trusting Frank’s defense that he wasn’t sleeping with Isobel. When their friends were involved in the crash at the bar, it was Deborah who tried to cook cookies to comfort everyone. Frank started to look at his wife in a different light, but their marriage was still left in need for repairs.
2011 brought frustrated with her marriage and Deborah tried to re-light their once sex-driven marriage by surprising him with sex at the office. The plan went awry and ironically brought the two closer, with Frank making her promise that they have sex more often, but in a bed and not the office. With Kevin being heart broken over both Charlene and Melanie, he relied on Deborah to help find his ex. wife so he could restart a relationship. She realized that she couldn’t lose Frank and made amends with him. Both making plans to visit their children as soon as possible. Plans that couldn’t come to fruition until after the Thurlow’s arrived back in town from Paris.
It took them until the Winter to head to the airport to visit their children. Which would bring Lucy Hahn back into their lives once again, although Deborah didn’t notice her. Frank Nelson noticed the young woman, holding the hand of a child at the airport. A secret that he had kept from his wife against his friend, James Thurlow’s insistence.
When they came back from visiting their children in early 2012, Deborah spent a lot of time re-energized and rebuilding her life. While her husband spent it trying to find Lucy Hahn and keep her out of his life. With the help of James and later, against her will, Caitlyn, they managed to track Lucy to Stone Creek and that she indeed gave birth to a son. But before Frank could come clean with Deborah, she found a package that was sent to her, explaining everything from Lucy’s perspective. She was hurt, and when confronting Frank, Deborah insisted that they were over. They spent a couple days apart as Deborah tried to come to terms with the fact that Frank had a son with Lucy.
Although Frank was kidnapped by Lucy Hahn, the Thurlow’s insisted that he was traveling for work and that Deborah didn’t need to worry. They went in search of Frank and after a wild goose chase, they found him in Germany and brought him back to Deborah. The couple made up and vowed to start over fresh.
In early 2013, their daughter came back to Stone Creek. Even though they were extremely happy, Laurie, held a huge secret.
Portrayed by: Vera Farmiga [2010-Present]
