Deborah Leite

Deborah (Turner) Leite, age 76, of New Bedford, passed away on Friday, June 19, 2026, at Charlton Memorial Hospital. She was the wife of Reverend Steven M. Leite, to whom she had been married for 60 years.

Born in Fall River, she was the daughter of the late Wright and Anna F. (Manley) Turner. A graduate of B.M.C. Durfee High School, Deborah worked as a Pharmacy Technician at CVS and Walmart for 18 years.

While she and her Husband Pastored at First Apostolic Church In Danielson she loved organizing, decorating and speaking at monthly ladies meetings, teaching Sunday school, and home Bible studies. For fifteen years, she organized the ladies of First Apostolic Church to help at the Connecticut District Ladies Conference.

Besides her husband, Deborah is survived by three children, Greg and Stephanie Leite, both of New Bedford, and Jonathan Leite of San Francisco, CA; three sisters, Nancy A. Rego of Fairhaven, Mary Ellen Fitzgibbons and her husband Barry, and Veronica “Ronna” Turner and her partner Michelle, all of Fall River; three granddaughters, Monica Leite of Worcester, Amanda Austin and her husband Keaghan, and Savanna Leite, all of New Bedford; two great-granddaughters, as well as several nieces and nephews. Deborah was the sister-in-law of the late Angelo Rego.

Her Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 25, 2026 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM in the Waring-Sullivan Home at Cherry Place, 178 Winter St., Fall River. Her Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 12:00 PM in Christ Temple, 1198 Fish Rd., Tiverton. Relatives and friends are invited and asked to proceed directly to the church no later than 11:45 AM. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Deborah’s honor may be made to St. Joseph’s Indian School, 1301 N Main St., Chamberlain, SD 57325 or to March of Dimes, P.O. Box 5141, Boone, IA 50950.