Deborah “Deb / Debbie” Marie Sapp Ramirez, 70, of Poquoson, VA passed away on August 1, 2024.
Born in Gadsden, AL on March 14, 1954, Deb and the family moved to Huntsville at a young age where she graduated from S. R. Butler High School in 1972 and the University of Alabama, Huntsville in 1982 with a BA in Business. She then started her career as a Travel Clerk (GS-5) with the US Army Corps of Engineers where she would continue to advance and eventually take her to Northern Virginia. Deb held multiple roles in the Northern VA area before obtaining a Master’s degree from the US Army Command & Staff College in 2001 and taking a position at the Pentagon. Fortunately, she survived the 9-11 attack on the Pentagon because she was attending class to complete her 2nd Master’s degree from Penn State Harrisburg. Deb later moved to Ft Monroe where she retired as a Procurement Specialist (GS-14) with US Army Material Command in 20XX as a US Army civilian employee.
When Deb was not working, she was an amazing mother who raised two kids on her own and in her later years she loved spending time with her grandkids. She was a devoted daughter who spent hours flying from VA to AL to help care for disabled mother over a period of 5 years. Family was important to her, and she traveled frequently to visit and to celebrate the big moments. Deb also loved being on or near the water. Whether it was on a sailboat with her husband Mike, taking that last walk before leaving the beach, or taking the kids crabbing, she was always happiest in the salt air with sand between her toes. Other things she enjoyed were painting, gardening, yard sales, and adventures. It was not uncommon to find her hunting yard sales and auctions for good deals on antiques or stained glass. You could see her love of adventure when at age 10 she tests rode a plywood board that her brother Charles, 11, had nailed 4 metal skates to and pulled around the block with his moped. As she grew older, her adventures progressed to include foggy Monte Sano Mountain rides, and adventures with Mike to name just a few.
Deb was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Sidney Sapp, Sr. and Inez Wagnon Newbern and stepbrother, Richard Newbern.
Deb is survived by her husband, Mike Cassidy; her children, Jaclyn (Tim) McGlone and Anthony (Grace) Ramirez; her grandchildren, Chloe and Tripp McGlone, David and Sofia Ramirez; her siblings, Sharon
(Perry) Renfroe, Charles (Teresa) Sapp, Beverly (Sam) Mostafavi, and Keith Newbern (David Koehler); her stepfather, Bill Newbern; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or charity of your choice.
