Debra Marie Brown

Debbie’s big heart may have stopped physically beating but she will live on forever in the lives and memories of countless people. Her legacy of kindness and generosity will never end due to the contributions she made to this world and to the people she met along the way. Despite her tough and often stubborn exterior, Debbie was caring, gentle, giving and a friend to all.

Debbie loved her family above everything. As children, she and Teresa fought as siblings do. As adults, they understood that a sister’s bond was beyond special, it was strong and never-ending. Ashley was the light of her life and Ashley adored her favorite Aunt Debbie. Debbie was always surrounded by a huge circle of friends, a combination of both old and new. She was there for everyone-whatever you needed, she willingly provided.

Debbie had a special place in her heart for animals. She was a “Cat Mom” and loved her kitties as her children. She generously donated to build the state-of-the-art Cat Trauma Triage Unit at the Arizona Humane Society which is also named in her honor.

Debbie valued education and was a lifelong learner. She graduated from Great Bend High School, St. Mary College (BS in Chemistry/Biology), University of Kansas Medical School (MD – Anesthesiology) and the University of Phoenix (MBA). She advocated for the empowerment of women and encouraged everyone to do and be their best. She was a cheerleader and motivator for many women choosing careers in male dominated professions. She shared the challenges she faced and helped knock down roadblocks to pave the way for others. This determination was instilled in Ashley at an early age which made her transition to college/adulthood a natural progression.

Debbie wore many hats throughout her amazing career. She entered health care at an early age as a volunteer Candy Striper at the local hospital while in high school, interned as a lab technician in college and worked her way through many successful roles as an Anesthesiologist and Medical Director among others. Being a Medical Doctor was her pride, but she also enjoyed the titles of Daughter, Sister, Sister-in-Law, Aunt, Friend, Partner, Mentor, and Colleague just as much.

Traveling and enjoying good food/drink were also passions of Debbie’s. She loved to travel and explored many adventures both domestically and around the world. She considered herself a “foodie” and constantly looked for new recipes to try herself and to share with others. She was a HUGE KC Chief’s fan and her “lucky” shirt got them to their multiple Super Bowl victories! She also became a big Auburn University fan, thanks to Ashley.

Debbie was preceded in death by her parents, brother Steven and many close friends/colleagues. She is survived by her sister Teresa (Mark Bruch), niece Ashley Bruch, cats Maxwell and Gracee and a large network of friends.

Even in passing, Debbie will be helping others as she was a designated tissue and cornea donor through the Arizona Donor Network.

Memorial donations may be made in her name to the following local organizations:

Circle the City https://circlethecity.org

House of Refuge https://houseofrefuge.org

A Celebration of Life Reception will be held on Sunday, July 27th at Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery in Chandler, Arizona starting at 11:30AM. A private family burial will take place at a later date.

Words to live by:

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” - Dr. Seuss