Deborah Strong

My mother has the most amazing life story. It was rich in Love and Experience. She faced life head on and had courage and grace throughout it, good times and bad. My mother will be remembered for many things, her warmth, kindness and wicked sense of humor. I was born under a very blessed star to have her as my mother, my best friend and my confident. She is and always will be my miracle from God and I thank Him every day for her. She will be greatly missed by her daughter, family and friends.

Deborah Hawthorne was born in Bangor, Maine darning the blizzard of 1938 to a college professor, Manning Hawthorne and his wife, Alice Smith Hawthorne, who was a nurse. She lived in Orono, ME until she was five when the family moved to Woodstock, CT. Debbi's younger sister, Elizabeth was born in 1942 making the family complete at four.

Debbi loved school and her first through fourth grade classes were all in a one room school house from one grade to another with the same teacher. She accelerated in school, where she developed a lifelong love of literature. In 1956, Debbi attended Mary Washington College, life was on track until her father was hired by the United States Information Service in India. She made a deal with her father that they would take her with them to India, and she would finish her college degree there. She graduated from the University of Bombay with a B. A. in English and a minor in Ancient Indian Culture. She was the first American to graduate from an Indian College. After college she worked at the Embassy giving Indian doctors a class on what to expect in America. Indian colleges at that time had no interaction between professor and students, which was a hard lesson for the doctors coming to the States. After three years in New Delhi her father was transferred to Bombay.

In India, Debbi met the Love of her life, Benjamin Strong. He was a Marine stationed at the consulate. They became engaged in early 1961 and Ben went back to the states about a year before Debbi could follow due to school. They were married in a small stone church in Kennebunkport, ME on August 1962. They moved to Sacramento, CA where Ben worked as a policeman for Southern Pacific Railroad. In February 1965 they had their first daughter Elizabeth (Leesa). In February 1967 they packed up their car with Leesa, a dog and a parakeet and drove to Anchorage, AL over the Alcan Highway. Debbi worked for Alaska Steamship CO as a secretary and Ben joined the Anchorage Police department. In January 1968 while expecting their second child, Ben was shot and killed in the line of duty. Six months later, Debbi's second daughter, Christina joined her father when she died of an infection. After joining her parents in Penang, Malaysia for a short time, Debbi decided to settle in Denver, CO with her young daughter. She bought a house and raised her daughter with unconditional love. Debbi and Leesa would take frequent road trips to see Ben's family in California and it was nothing for them to hit the road for an unexpected adventure. Debbi and her mother-in-law were very close and remained closed until Dorothy died in 1986.

Once Debbi retired she was able to pursue her many hobbies. She was an advent gardener. Who had a green touch with just about every plant, indoors and out. Roses and honeysuckle were two of her favorite garden plants. Spring was when she and her garden came alive. It was her favorite season and she looked forward to each new plant and bulb that popped up. Debbi now also had time to read her bucket book list. It was nothing for her to finish a book every other day, she was open to almost any genre. Sunday's, Debbi and Leesa would spend the day reading and enjoying the quiet time with each other. Debbi started scrapbooking and it quickly took over many weekends. In each of her scrapbooks she opened up her life and let everyone travel it with her.

Debbi was the great, great grand-daughter of Nathaniel Hawthorne and she was involved in many activities to honor him and a very active member of the Hawthorne Society. She was proud of her Hawthorne heritage and was deeply involved in genealogy to learn more about her family history. Debbi and her good friend Betty P had a standing Tuesday date to go to the library and work on their family genealogy.

In 1985 Debbi joined Chi Kappa Sorority. She was elected to many offices during her time with Chi Kappa. She loved working with the many charities they supported, two of her favorites were St. Jude's Hospital and The Special Olympics. Through Chi Kappa she made many friends and will be remembered for her loving nature and her dedication to the chapter and her sisters. They were truly her sisters and she enjoyed every moment with them.

Debbi and her daughter loved to travel and tried to go back to New England ever fall. It was a trip that both of them looked forward to each year and cherished the time they had together. They were the perfect travel mates and getting lost in a new place always lead to a wonderful new discovery.

Debbi also had a new man in her life, she absolutely adored. Fritz, her dachshund. He was her "Pupper" and they would spend hours working in the yard together. She had waited many years to get her dachshund and they were a perfect match.

Debbi is survived by her daughter Elizabeth "Leesa", sister Elizabeth H. Carruthers, brother-in-law William Carruthers, niece Kim Carruthers, nephew Thor Carruthers and brother-in-law William Strong and brother-in-law David Martin. She is preceded by her husband Ben Strong, and daughter Christina Strong.