Deborah Ann Ross

     When Deborah Ann Ross walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Deborah was and how she impacted those around her. Deborah was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Deborah wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Deborah was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

     Deborah was born on March 25, 1958 at Highland Hospital in Oakland, California. She was the daughter of Isaac Nelson Ross and Mamie Boatwright-Ross. Deborah was raised in Oakland, California. Always ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Deborah might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Deborah was always in pursuit of life's endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

     Deborah was raised with seven siblings. She had two brothers, Isaac and Kenneth as well as six sisters, Jane, Georgia, Tyrice, Antoinette, Janice and Ladietra. Deborah was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Deborah was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Deborah well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

     As a young girl, Deborah was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Deborah was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Deborah took part in skating, swimming, dancing and karate. She was a Girl Scout. In her spare time she liked reading the Bible and singing. Deborah had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

     During her high school years, Deborah responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. She graduated from Castlmont High School in 1976. Deborah was a very good student, and generally did well in her courses. Deborah absorbed as much as she could from all of her teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using her imagination to master her assignments. For Deborah, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Deborah a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything. Her favorite class in high school was art class. During High School Deborah was someone known to always help others.

     With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Deborah was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Deborah was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, friends. While growing up, her best friend was Toley Johnson. Later in life, she became good friends with Audrey Smith.

     Deborah was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Deborah, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Ross home. Deborah's skill at understanding her daughter's feelings, her sensitivity to her needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Deborah was blessed with one child: a daughter, Maleea S. Robinson.

     Deborah was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life's possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was Toll Collector. She was employed for nine years. Deborah had the uncanny ability to put a smiles on the faces of all who passed through her toll booth on a daily basis. Deborah's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor, putting smiles on their faces as well and giving an occasional hug when needed.

     Because Deborah loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuit was reading. Deborah had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Deborah's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

     Deborah derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. Her charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. In high school, Deborah loved swimming and karate. Recreational sports included roller skating and karate. Deborah was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were football, basketball and figure skating.

     Because Deborah was constantly in the center of things and where the action was, she always seemed willing to join in and help, regularly getting involved in community activities. Deborah's gift of planning and improvisation, along with a talent for rallying support, made her a great asset. Deborah found new ways of getting things done in order to help make just about every activity more efficient and enjoyable. Deborah was an active member of and served on committees for the Job Corps.

     Deborah was a woman of faith who was dedicated and devoted to her church. She was a member Acts Full Gospel Church of Oakland California. She was not just a member, but and active member being a part of the church choir. She was also a squad team captain in the wittiness ministry. At the same time, she was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

     Deborah's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Deborah took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included the family cruises every two years.

     Deborah was a lover of animals and cherished her pets King her dog and Beck her cat.

     Deborah Ross passed away on August 11, 2009 in Richmond at the San Rafael Bridge. Deborah suffered a tragic and untimely end by an assault from an assailant. She is survived by her loving daughter Maleea, five sisters, Jane, Tyrice, Antoinette, Janice and Ladietra as well as her brother, Stephen. Services were held at Acts Full Gospel Church on Friday August 21, 2009. Deborah was laid to rest at Cedar Lawn Memorial Park in Fremont California on August 21, 2009 as well.

     There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Deborah. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Deborah Ross for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Deborah was always more than willing to share life's experiences with her loved ones.