Debra was born in Van Horn, Texas, the only daughter of Antonio and Celia Lujan. She had one older brother, Tony, and 3 younger brothers, Hector, Freddy, and Jaime. She graduated from Van Horn High School in 1977, then went on to Angelo State University, earning a bachelor of science in 1981 in Physical Education Teaching and Coaching.
While at Angelo State, Debra was introduced to Gregg Tanoff by mutual friends. They dated throughout most of college and married shortly after graduation. They would move 11 times over the course of their marriage, mostly for Gregg’s military career, but they would eventually end up back in Texas where they started.
While Debra was a teacher for several years, she was also a homemaker to two daughters and several lively pets. Both Debra and Gregg enjoyed teaching their daughters’ vacation bible school and CCD classes. She also taught science and Spanish in both public and private schools on and off over the years.
Debra especially loved being active and outdoors including playing basketball, hiking, biking, and traveling. She also enjoyed hobbies like sewing/knitting, crafting, and calligraphy. As loved ones have noted, her craftsmanship was perfect. Many have saved the clothes she made them over the years, reusing them for each new child the family was blessed with. She was an excellent cook and a wonderful baker as well.
As a lifelong, practicing Catholic, Debra was a member of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in New Braunfels. She was always involved in wives’ clubs throughout Gregg’s military career, earnest in her support of fellow military families. Never one to shy away from manual labor and getting her hands dirty, she was involved for a number of years with Habitat for Humanity and participated in several mission trips to Costa Rica when she taught at New Braunfels Christian Academy.
Remaining to cherish Debra’s memory are her husband, Gregg; children, Lindsey and Hillary; son-in-law, Jason; grandchild, Lucas; mother, Celia; brothers, Tony, Hector, and Freddy; sisters-in-law, Lisa, Carrie, Patricia, and Brenda; brother-in-law, Mark; and many, many beloved nieces and nephews, cousins, friends, and students and coworkers at New Braunfels Christian Academy.
Preceding Debra in death are her father, Antonio; brother, Jaime; father-in-law, Cyril; and sisters-in-law, Sandra and Mary.
Though her fight with cancer did not end the way she and her loved ones hoped, she was resolute in her final years. In her last year of life she persevered in order to assist her daughter Hillary in taking care of her first grandchild, Lucas, when his father deployed shortly after birth, for which they will be forever grateful.
A vigil service will be held December 28, 2024 at 1pm at Zoeller Funeral Home in New Braunfels. Interment will be at Fort Sam Houston at a later date.
Memorial donations in Debra’s memory may be directed to MD Anderson Cancer Center, an organization which gave her more time with her family.
