Debora Mary Petrishen

TEWKSBURY

Debora Mary (Abraham) Petrishen, a hilarious, gregarious whirlwind of a woman whose quick wit and resilient spirit stood much taller than her 5-foot-1 frame, died Wednesday, April 8 after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer. She was 62.

A beloved daughter, sister and mother, Deb was a bright-burning star – a piquant personality whose singular presence brought joy to anyone in range of her silvery, singsong voice.

She was liable to burst into song at any moment, and her beautiful singing stirred countless emotions – joy in wedding revelers, tears in funeral mourners, and respect in thousands of fans one August evening at Fenway Park.

No silence was ever awkward for Deb. She fired off jokes in about every circumstance imaginable, including at formal occasions, when they were paired with a barely suppressed smile.

"I suppose you're all wondering why I asked you here," she'd tell staff at Dana Farber - a favorite line she delivered with gusto, even as nurses came to deliver bad news, or pump her with one of the many rounds of chemotherapy she endured with grace.

Her iron will was forged in early tragedy. She and her husband, Michael, lost their first child, Catherine Lee Petrishen, to an extremely rare disease before 2 years of age on June 13, 1984.

They had two children after Catie's death, Brad and Carolyn, who they raised with love and appreciation, and who will be forever grateful to them.

Also grateful to Deb are the many she served over decades of volunteer work – work she continued doing until the final months of her life.

The fifth of six children raised in Salem, Deb loved the ocean and its bounties, particularly the clams fried up at the Salem Willows.

A graduate of Bishop Fenwick High School, she sang in wedding bands in her 20s, and was engaged to Mike, a bandmate, within three months of dating.

Deb worked part time in the health and mortgage industries prior to her cancer diagnosis in 2014, after which time she focused on volunteering.

She sang to seniors, brought Meals on Wheels and read to veterans. She spent hours with dying hospice patients within months of needing the service herself.

She fought cancer for 2,009 days, using her increasingly rare breaks from chemotherapy to vacation with family, including trips with Mike to their favorite place, Nantucket, and a driving trip to Key West with her son.

She kept her unique brand of humor through it all, choosing to live by the mantra, "If you don't laugh, you'll cry."

Her many jokes and nicknames formed a cherished family lexicon that will live on, especially in her son ("dude") and daughter ("pup").

Her doctor at Dana Farber called it an honor to treat her. After hearing her voice, the hospital selected her to kick off the annual Jimmy Fund Telethon at Fenway Park on Aug. 21, 2018.

In front of thousands of Red Sox fans and her proud family, Deb delivered as always, singing a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem that she dedicated, as the stadium announcer noted, to Catie.

Surviving Deb are her siblings, Cathy Abraham, Glady Olson, Rhonda Houlihan, Robert Abraham Jr., and Gigi Abraham, as well as their dear mother, Mary Abraham, 93.

Her father, Robert R. Abraham, an Army veteran who passed along his strong personality to his children, died in 1983.

Among Deb's greatest pastimes were talking to her siblings for hours on end, especially when they gathered in Salem each year for Christmas, where the decibel level rose with each new addition to the family.

Deb was married to her beloved husband Michael for 38 years, and he took her to nearly every one of her cancer treatments. They shared much in common, from their sense of humor to their intellect and love of music.

A private celebration of life will be held after the current calamity passes. Donations in Deb's honor can be made to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.



View the online memorial for Debora Mary Petrishen