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Deborah Fine Obituary
May 16, 1942 - December 2, 2019
On December 2nd, 2019, Deborah Fine passed away at the age of 77 at her residence in San Rafael, CA. Born in Newton, MA to Muriel and Irving Fine, her family moved to Bel Air in 1951 to start their new life in sunny California. In 1960, Debbie enrolled at UCLA where she received a B.A. in English. Following graduation, she earned her masters degree in Library Sciences at Simmons University in Boston.Upon returning to L.A., Debbie discovered her passion for film research while working for the Kellam de Forest Research Company. In 1973, she was hired by Francis Ford Coppola at American Zoetrope where she provided essential historical research for Apocalypse Now and The Godfather Part II. After working on More American Graffiti, she was hired by George Lucas at the Egg Company. Debbie then joined Lucasfilm in Northern California, where she guided the creation of George Lucas's Research Library, and in 1980, she was named director of research. Debbie encouraged the purchase of the Paramount Studios research library, which Lucas acquired in 1987. Career highlights include supervising research on several of the blockbuster Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies, managing the massive research behind the 3-season historical drama series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, and supervising the cataloguing and management of the Lucasfilm archives.
Debbie retired from Lucasfilm in 1995 after decades of significant contributions to classic American film. Afterwards, she freelanced as a researcher on the film Sphere, and co-authored the book Star Wars Chronicles, for Chronicle Books. During her retirement, Debbie studied painting, worked on her own novels, and continued her lifelong pursuit of learning. She always had a knack for games, Scrabble being her favorite. Smart as a whip, with a dry sense of humor, Debbie was loved and admired by her friends, peers, and family, and will be deeply missed. She is predeceased by her sister, Laura, and survived by her nephew, Nicky.
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Memories and Condolences
for Deborah Fine
4 Entries
John Krajewski
June 16, 2020
Another soul is in the wind
As from this world departs
The memories like dried leaves float
Within our minds and hearts
And that wind keeps blowing through the years
And never will it end
Sunset's tears have let us know
It's found another friend
Debbie, you were a good friend. I miss you.
Gale Gough
February 23, 2020
I enjoyed interacting with Debbie while working at Lucasfilm. She was a bright star and her intelligence and humor lit up the room.
Prayers and condolences to the family.
susan spooner
February 20, 2020
My favorite west coast cousin with a giggle to kill for. Marcia on my mind. Once we were eight, now we are five. Gawd. susan
Barb Lakin
January 19, 2020
You lite up the life of many and the memories will be forever in our hearts. RIP Deb
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