Preston’s Debra Gilmore leaves a legacy of keeping highways clean

PRESTON, Idaho (KIFI) - Debra Gilmore of Preston passed away peacefully on July 1 after an extended battle with lung cancer. But even in her final months, Gilmore worked towards her goal as the leader of the "Friends of Riverdale" to make Preston a cleaner community.

Gilmore founded the Adopt-a-Highway group in 2004 to manage a 2-mile stretch of road near her home along Highway 34. But even before then, Debra's husband, Stephen Gilmore, said she was going on walks while carrying a garbage bag to keep her community clean.

"She hated to see the earth be trashed up with trash, So she started, just picking it up," said Stephen.

"Her dad used to go to the coffee shop here in Preston, where a bunch of old fogies got together every morning. One of them was the guy that worked at the highway department here. And so when he heard that she was carrying a bag, picking up trash, he told my father, 'why don't you tell her to do a adopt the highway?'"

Debra was diagnosed with lung cancer in January of 2023. Even through her chemo treatments, Stephen said Debra was still organizing groups to clean Highway 34 in Preston.

Over the last 20 years, Debra’s group gathered over 42,000 pounds of litter.

This past April, the Idaho Transportation Board, recognized the "Friends of Riverdale" as the southeast Idaho Adopt-a-Highway group of the year.

"She didn't even want to go up there and get it," Stephen said. "She said, I'm not doing it for an award. And finally, I guess I'm the one that encouraged her. You know, you got to go do it, you know, because, recognizing all the work that you've done, especially well, you've been sick, that's a pretty big accomplishment."

Chuckling and pointing towards Debra's award, Stephen said, "I tried to get her to put it up in the living room here, but she didn't even want to do that, you know?"

On the morning of July 1st, Debra Gilmore lost her extended battle with lung cancer.

Stephen Gilmore, 73, says he plans to keep the Friends of Riverdale group active and keep Debra's section of the highway clean.

"We're all getting older now, but I think everybody can still have the energy to do it. We want to do it," said Stephen.

"She probably would have wanted me to. And I think that's the least I can do. You know because...it's something to help me keep her in my memory."

For Debra's obituary, click HERE.