Deborah Spivack

**   UPDATE  **

A Memorial Service for Debby will be held on

Saturday December 9, 2023 from  11am - 1pm

at the Parish Hall, Main Street, Phoenicia

Shandaken-

Debby Spivack died at home on November 28, 2023. She was beloved by so many. She is survived by her husband Bob Lepp, her children Anya Lepp and Daniel Lepp, and her brother Jim Spivack. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Eli, Vivian, Jackson and Sonia as well as son-in-law Read Pukkila-Worley and daughter-in-law Jen Gleason. 

She was born in Roselle Park, NJ on March 20, 1948. She spoke about a happy childhood with her parents, her brother, and her sister Jan, who died in 1968 and remained beloved to Debby throughout her life. She recalled great memories of time spent with her family and cousins. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1970 where she met the love of her life, Bob Lepp. They shared many adventures together, traveling across the country with their golden retriever Eli, living in Cambridge, MA and making many life-long friends along the way. Debby and Bob settled in the Catskills in 1975 where they would raise their family and continue to grow their community. Debby initially focused her energy on raising her children, later going back to nursing school. She became ill with leukemia in 1990 and through the incredible care she received from Dr. Collins and Dr. Lizzy, she survived. She had many amazing years that followed, including proudly serving as librarian at the Phoenicia Library for over 20 years. Her friends from the Broadstreet Hollow community have always been a family, one which loved and supported each other through many highs and lows.

Debby was one-of-a-kind. She emanated love and sought connection. She cared deeply about those in her life and always saw the best in people. She was an incredible mother, grandmother, wife, sister, aunt, daughter, and friend. She was a dancer, gardener, tai chi practitioner, poet, reader, swimmer, baker, weaver, musician and seeker. She was so many things. Her legacy is one of giving and receiving love, a gift which remains with all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Woodstock Area Meals on Wheels (where Debby volunteered) or UNICEF (which she supported through the years). A memorial service for Debby will be held in the coming weeks.   A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday Dec. 9, 2023 at the Parish Hall, Main St. Phoenicia from 11am to 1pm. . You may share a special memory, photo, or condolence on Debby's Tribute Wall at www.gormleyfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Deborah Spivack, please visit our floral store.