Debbie Mayberry slipped away from this world and into the arms of her beloved savior, Jesus Christ, on October 4, 2011. She was born in Richland, WA on November, 28, 1948, the only child of Maurice Lee Mayberry and Verna ‘Alice’ (Bunton) Mayberry. At the age of six months, she moved with her family to a farm in Naches, WA.
Debbie graduated from Naches High School in 1966. She went on to attend Yakima Valley Community College and then on to Central Washington University where she earned degrees in fine arts, music education, and psychology.
After college, Debbie taught elementary music and junior high language arts in the Mabton School District. Later, she moved to Montana and taught grades K through 8 in a one-room schoolhouse. She moved to Las Vegas NV and taught Spanish and language arts at a private school. During the summer she worked as an international telephone operator.
In 1976, Debbie moved back to Yakima to care for her ailing parents. She kept busy managing a youth group for White Swan Methodist Church then worked in the Hispanic ministry for First Presbyterian Church in Yakima. She worked for the Yakima Housing Authority, EPIC, and finally for the Employment Security Department, Work First and Trade Act programs before retiring in 2010.
Debbie loved life! She had a rare ability to see the beauty in all of God’s creations. She was an accompanist at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church for the past 18 years. She took great pleasure in her rose garden, her frog collection, and fresh flowers from John Gasperetti’s Floral Design. She was particularly proud of her Irish heritage.
Debbie enjoyed helping people. Whether it was her church family, her coworkers, her music students, or her program ‘kids’; she would move heaven and earth to make them successful and self-reliant. For those wise enough to listen, she left a profound and lasting impression. When Debbie said, “You can do it!” you knew you really could. She was so proud of her “students” and never missed a Perry Tech graduation until her health failed her. She was tremendously grateful for her friends and church family who supported her in her final months.
A Celebration of Life will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Yakima. Memorials can be made to St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church and/or Perry Technical Institute. Valley Hills Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.
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