July 9, 1956 - June 21, 2020
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Debora Kathleen Peebles on June 21, 2020 after a brief battle with cancer.
Deb is survived by her husband Randy, daughter Samantha Peebles (Evan Wiebe), son Kevin (Kim) Peebles, and six grandchildren Halle and Brianna Peebles, and Alex, Erik, Marcus and Claire Wiebe. Deb is also survived by her sisters Chris Brewer and Donna Dilling (Gary Secco), her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Pete and Carol Peebles and her many nieces and nephews.
Deb was predeceased by her parents Max and Esther Dilling, and her sister-in-law Jeanette McLachlan.
Deb was born in Burns Lake on July 9, 1956. She was raised in Trail after her family moved when she was very young.
After graduating, she achieved her Bachelor of Music with teaching certificate from the University of Victoria in 1979. She chose though to start her working career at Teck (Cominco) as an operator in the old zinc tank rooms and later at the new electrolytic plant for 14 years. After a layoff in 1993, she started her second career in teaching. She worked at J Lloyd Crowe and St Michaels, starting some junior music programs and continued other band and choir programs. She took such pride in watching her students succeed. She retired in 2012, but did not stop teaching. She taught the after-school band program for another 6 years.
Her true loves were playing her instruments and mentoring her band mates. She was a 20-year member of the Trail Maple Leaf Band and 16-year member of the SwingSationS. She also spent 9 years in the Italian Choir and played a couple of years for the RLOP.
She and Randy spent many years "puttering away" at various renovations to their houses and their children's houses, and of course, to their favourite getaway at the cabin at Christina Lake. Deb was the maker of "the list" - the end all of organization. Having a moderate case of OCD (or, as she would say, "CDO" (in alphabetical order) it was THE only way to stay on task. She was in charge of the budget and heaven help whoever went over.
Deb's Italian heritage was a main stay in the meals she prepared. There is a fight brewing over spaghetti sauce and antipasto left behind when she passed. The cookies are all gone!
Her sense of humour was a bit bent in that you would have to sit up straight to not have it go over your head.
Her rest time was spent with family at Christina Lake where she was proud of her flower gardens and the rock walls that she built.
She was happy sitting on the patio in front of the fire explaining to all who would listen (or not) the names and stories for all the constellations that were in sight, waiting for the next lightning storm to come by. Or, if in the right mood, would burst out in a 50's rock and roll tune.
4:00 was always cocktail time. All work stops, white rum or red wine (with ice cube) was poured, and no one bothers Gramma/Nana for an hour. It was always a good time for a quiet cuddle. She will be missed.
Heaven's choir just got a lot brighter!
Andreas Schmitz of Alternatives Funeral and Cremation ServicesTM has been entrusted with arrangements. You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence at the family's online register at www.myalternatives.ca.
Alternatives Funeral and Cremation Services