Debra Anne "Debbie" Miles

WINTHROP- Debra (Debbie) Anne Miles, 68, of Winthrop, Maine, passed away suddenly on October 12th surrounded by her husband, Ed, and their four children at Central Maine Medical Center after a lengthy illness.
Debbie was born on May 13, 1957, in Cobleskill, NY, the fourth daughter of William G. and Evelyn M. Rumpf. She spent her childhood in the small town of Worcester, NY, where she graduated from Worcester Central School in June of 1975.
She attended the State University of New York at Cobleskill where she graduated in 1977 with an associate's degree in Secretarial Science. A few years after graduation, she went to work for the Hospital Association of New York State in Albany, NY, where she met the love of her life, Edward (Ed) W. Miles.
After two years of dating, Debbie and Ed were married on September 17, 1983, in Glens Falls, NY. They enjoyed 42 years of life's adventures together, and in those years, welcomed four children into their lives: Allison in 1985, Jeffrey in 1989, Kelly in 1992, and Daniel (Dan) in 1994.
While raising their family, Debbie and Ed established roots in the towns of Milford, MA, Yarmouth, ME, Bethlehem, NH, and Winthrop, ME. While in Milford, Debbie worked for Northern Telecom and after Allison was born, started her own word processing business out of their home until Jeffrey was born. After relocating to Maine in 1990, they welcomed Kelly and Dan. Debbie spent the next decade at home raising their children.
In the early 2000s, Debbie began work as a substitute teacher in the Winthrop, ME and Monmouth, ME school systems. In 2013, she was hired as an educational technician at the T. C. Hamlin School in Randolph, ME where she worked for about two school years before her battle with sarcoidosis began to progress.
Debbie was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a progressive lung disease, in April of 2010. After almost eight years of fighting for the ability to breathe, Debbie was approved for lung transplant in early 2018 and received a new set of lungs on March 25th, 2018. This gift of life gave her the ability to be a "G-ma" to her five lively grandchildren who absolutely adored her and were the sunshine of her life.
Along with her new lungs, came a myriad of health challenges. Despite these setbacks, Debbie was able to spend her last few years traveling with Ed, including cruising in the Caribbean and in Europe, golfing, and spending time with family in their winter home in Bradenton, FL. Every chance she could she attended birthday parties, sporting events, dance recitals, concerts, and family get-togethers with her children and grandchildren, which brought her the greatest joy.
In addition to time spent with her family, Debbie had a love for music which she expressed through her membership in many church and community choirs throughout her life. This included the Sacred Heart Choir of Yarmouth, ME with which she traveled in 2000 to perform in Austria, and the CODA Chorus of Winthrop, ME of which she was a member for 15 years. It was not uncommon to hear her burst into song at any given time if a word or a phrase reminded her of a loved tune.
Debbie's faith was an important part of her life. Throughout her adult years, she was a member of several Catholic parishes including Saint Mary of the Assumption in Milford, MA, Sacred Heart in Yarmouth, ME, Saint Rose of Lima in Littleton, NH, Saint Francis Xavier in Winthrop, ME, and in Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Bradenton, FL. Whenever possible, she sang in her church's choirs and served as a cantor at weddings and celebrations of life.
Debbie especially loved her lunch dates with friends and never said no to a meal, a cup of tea, or a conversation. She always said "Yes" to dessert. Card games and board games were some of her favorite pastimes, as well as snuggling with the little ones in her life and reading them stories.
Debbie is survived by her husband, Ed; their children: Allison (Seth) Warman, of Carrabassett Valley, ME; Jeffrey, of Winthrop, ME; Kelly (Michael) Sweeting of Augusta, ME; and Dan of Hallowell, ME; five grandchildren: Wesley and Evelyn Warman, and Anderson, Ezra, and Flynn Sweeting; stepdaughters: Jeanne (Tom) Stark of Rhinebeck, NY; Patricia (Scott) Kappeller of Kinderhook, NY; and Megan (Matt) Moseley of San Antonio, TX; step grandchildren: Bradley Ferrell; Molly, Thomas, and Liam Stark; Vanessa and Sarah Kappeller; and Logan and James Moseley; three sisters: Carol (Keith) Lunn of Port Kent, NY; Linda (David) Bunn of Woodstock, GA; and Janice (Larry) Hyde of Hendersonville, NC; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews, and cousins. Debbie will be dearly missed by her loving family and many close family friends.
She is predeceased by her parents, William and Evelyn Rumpf; sisters-in-law Mary Jane Miles and Dorothy King; brothers-in-law Gilbert King and James Miles; her niece, Susan King, and several aunts and uncles.
Debbie's family would like to thank the countless medical staff that were part of her care throughout her health journey and would especially like to thank Neil Duval M.D. and respiratory therapist, Shirley McKeen of Central Maine Medical Center Pulmonology Practice, and Christine Fletcher F.N.P. of Winthrop Family Medicine. Thank you also to the staff at Andwell Health Partners who provided home PT, OT, and nursing care to Debbie throughout the years.
Visiting hours will be held at Roberts Funeral Home at 62 Bowdoin Street in Winthrop Maine on Thursday, October 23 from 4-6pm. A memorial Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church at 130 SR-133 in Winthrop, ME on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at 11am. A reception will follow at the Miles' residence in Winthrop.
In lieu of flowers, Debbie's family asks that you consider donating to the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research and, if possible, be an organ donor at www.stopsarcoidosis.org/donate/
Arrangements and guidance are in the care of Robert's Funeral Home, 62 Bowdoin Street, Winthrop, ME.
Condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family by visiting the Roberts Funeral Home website www.khrfuneralhomes.com