Deborah Roseanne Dearstyne

1959 - 2020

Deborah Roseanne Dearstyne, 60, of Eagle Bridge, NY passed away peacefully at her home on Friday, June 5th surrounded by her beloved family after a brief yet valiant battle with cancer.

Deb was born in Frankfurt Germany to Mamie (LoPresti) & David Dearstyne while her father was stationed in the military there. From childhood on she resided in or around Cambridge, NY & attended Cambridge High School. Deb was passionate about her lifelong career as a nurse, receiving her RN degree from Southern Vermont College & recently her Master's Degree in Nursing from the University of New York-Stony Brook, of which she & her family were very proud. She was employed as an OR nurse at SVMC & relished her job & her fellow SVMC family.

Deb loved spending her weekends camping with friends & family, taking long motorcycle rides with her husband, adventurous travel and spending time at her pool relaxing and watching her grandkids swim. Her four sons & their families were her greatest joys & she was always front & center in supporting them & their children. She always had room for one more at her table, was rarely seen without her trademark smile and touched more people with her grace as a caregiver in both her personal & professional lives than can ever be counted.

She is survived by her mother, Mamie Dearstyne, of Cambridge, NY, with whom she shared a special bond, her husband, Leigh Hawkins, of Eagle Bridge, NY; her four sons, Steven (Lauryn) Dearstyne of Guilderland, NY, Daniel (Erica) Dearstyne of Arlington, VT, Derek (Tina) Dearstyne of Greenwich, NY & Adam (Courtney) Dearstyne of Cambridge, NY; her three brothers, David (Carla) Dearstyne of Fort Worth, TX, Michael (Karla) Dearstyne of Elmhurst, IL & Andrew (Cara) Dearstyne of Argyle, NY; her grandchildren Wiley, Mason, Gia, Gracie, Lilliana & Tyler Dearstyne, Jackson Hagadorn & Shaymus Willette, and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, colleagues & friends. She was preceded in death by her father, David Dearstyne, Sr.

Calling hours will be at the Ackley, Ross & Gariepy Funeral Home, 73 West Main St. in Cambridge, NY on Thursday, June 11th from 3-7PM, followed by a private service. A graveside service will be held on Friday, June 12th at St. Patrick's Cemetery in Cambridge, NY at 11 AM, followed by a private reception. A celebration of life to include all that loved Deb is being planned for a later date. Those attending the services are required to follow social distancing guidelines.

A memorial scholarship fund is being established by her family to benefit students pursuing a career in nursing. In the meantime, donations can be made to the Helen Dixon Kunzelmann Nurse Scholar Program at SVMC in lieu of flowers. To offer condolences to Deb's family, please visit www.gariepyfuneralhomes.com