Debra Ann "Adamovich" Bleakney

Debra Ann (Adamovich) Bleakney passed away on August 2, 2025 from complications of dementia. Her loved ones will remember her as a radiant positive spirit; a loving wife and proud mother; and a diligent, empathetic, and fiercely competent leader. She found beauty in the world around her and believed deeply in her own and others' ability to make a positive difference in the world.
A lifelong Delawarean, "Deb" was born in Newark on February 27, 1957, the middle of three children. She attended St. Mark's High School, where she joined the precision dance team and discovered her love of French. In 1973, she met her high school sweetheart, Glenn Bleakney, whom she would marry in 1979, and together, they raised their daughter, Lauren, who brought her incredible joy. She especially loved spending time with her husband and daughter in nature. She could be found hiking in the Poconos in the fall and cross-country skiing in the winter, and in the summer, she enjoyed canoeing, gardening, and camping at Cape Henlopen State Park. An adventurous traveler, she particularly loved visiting her daughter while the latter lived overseas in Egypt and France. Deb cherished her relationship with her sister, Diane, especially once the two no longer shared a bedroom. A devout and spiritual Catholic, she was a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.
Debra studied physical therapy at the University of Delaware and went on to practice at the A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children (now Nemours Children's Hospital) for 18 years, becoming Chief Clinical Therapist and Director of Physical Therapy. She then left the hospital for private practice and became an entrepreneur, founding OPT Therapy Services, Ltd. in 1999. She and her team of three dozen practitioners provided pediatric physical and occupational therapy services to thousands of children, particularly those with severe autism through the Delaware Autism Program. She was the author of several clinical articles and textbook contributions on pediatric physical therapy. Both as a therapist and as a descendent of Polish immigrants, she was especially proud of her work lecturing and consulting with Project Hope at the Krakow Institute for Children in Poland in 1990, shortly after the fall of communism.
Debra is survived by her beloved husband of 45 years, Glenn; daughter Lauren and her husband William Cox; grandson Ethan Cox; sister Diane Brown; nephews Adam Brown and Alex Brown and his wife Jaime; great nephews Jayden and Luca Brown; and great niece Brooklyn Brown. She is predeceased by her parents, John and Theresa Adamovich, and her brother Robert Adamovich, all of Newark. She will be deeply missed by her family and all those whose lives she touched.
A viewing for family and friends will take place on Tuesday, August 12 at the Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 1:00 p.m. at St. John the Beloved Church, 907 Milltown Road. Interment will follow at All Saints Cemetery. Loved ones are invited to gather following the funeral at Tyler's Bar and Grill, 5343 Limestone Road, Wilmington. Flowers may be sent to the Doherty Funeral Home (Pike Creek). Those wishing to make a donation in lieu of flowers are suggested to give to Autism Delaware (www.autismdelaware.org/ways-to-give/).