Deborah Bohannon Sicola of Memphis, Tennessee, previously of Sparta, passed away suddenly on March 14, 2019, after a short hospitalization. Debbie, as she was known, grew up in Sparta. She was the apple of her father’s eye, reflecting back his warm smile with her own dimpled grin. She was her mother’s pride and joy, with a quick mind and a knack for reading and mathematics. Her bright personality and fierce heart made her fast friends, both at school and among her many first cousins.
At school, Debbie excelled at math and music. She was drum major in the marching band, and was recruited by the Air Force to be an actual rocket scientist. She went on to receive her undergraduate degree from Middle Tennessee State University, where she played in the Band of Blue, and then earned a Master’s Degree from Georgia Tech. It was in Atlanta that she met her husband, John Sicola, formerly of Houston, Texas. A fellow band geek, natural scholar, and bold adventurer, they married in 1975 and moved to Memphis to begin their life together.
In 1978, Debbie and John welcomed their older daughter, Kate, and in 1982 a second daughter, Margaret. Debbie raised her daughters in Springdale United Methodist church, where her beautiful voice could be heard soaring out from the choir loft every Sunday. She held many leadership positions at Springdale, and was active in the United Methodist Women “Love Group.” Later, when she moved her membership to Highland Heights UMC, she continued to bless all with her talent, in addition to providing of her time and treasure for various services and missions of the church. She was active in all these, including continuing to fellowship with her “Love Group” friends, all of her life.
In the 1990s, Debbie went “back to school” and earned her Master’s degree in Education. She taught in Memphis City Schools for twenty years, retiring in 2012. She taught math—algebra and geometry—to middle schoolers and high schoolers. Her extra efforts to help students catch up and excel were noticed and appreciated by kids and colleagues alike.
In 2012, Debbie was thrilled to become a “granny” for the first time. Over the next few years, she was overjoyed to spoil Aria, Lane, and Declan. She enjoyed trips to Hershey Park with Aria, singing with Lane, and watching Daniel Tiger with Declan. Of late, she and John had traveled widely, including recent adventures with John’s brother Tony and his wife Virginia. They also went to their daughter Kate and her family in Virginia for extended visits, and looked forward to possibly visiting Kate’s in-laws in Guatemala one day.
Debbie was preceded in death by her father, R.E. Bohannon of Sparta; aunts and uncles, including Rascoe and Ann Cooper; Robert Bohannon; Jane Thompson Bohannon; Betty Bohannon; Elmer and Jean Powell; Barnett and Ellen Powell; Hollis and Elizabeth Powell Sapp; Paul and Thelma Powell; James and Elsie Powell Rackley; Gordon and Juanita Powell Austin; Jess Ray; James Powell; her grandparents of the Dunn, Powell, Broome, and Bohannon families; and several of her dear cousins.
She is survived by her mother, Billie Powell Bohannon; her aunts and uncles, W.C. Bohannon; Lloyd and Linda Bohannon Smith; Howell and Ruth Powell Glover; and Ann Powell Ray; her childhood friend, Kathy Austin and many loving cousins; her husband, John; her in-laws, Tony and Virginia Sicola of Amarillo, Texas and their son Alexander; Mary Sicola Kelly and Gary Kelly of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; her daughter and son-in-law Mario and Kate Sicola Vasquez and their children Aria and Lane; and her daughter and son-in-law David and Margaret Sicola Soard and their son Declan.
The family will receive friends from 10:00a.m. until service time at 11:00a.m, Monday, March 18, 2019 at Family Funeral Care Funeral Home, 4925 Summer Avenue, Memphis, TN.
