Deborah (Debe) Ann Winkler, database guru

Deborah (Debe) Ann Winkler of Rehoboth Beach passed away peacefully, after a lengthy illness, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017, at Delaware Hospice in Milford. Her husband of many years was by her side.

Debe was a 1968 graduate of Galena High School where she excelled at basketball, being the top scorer on the team for several years. She spent hours with her friends boating and exploring on the Sassafras River. She even climbed up the drawbridge as it opened only to be chased away by the bridge tender.

Several careers were enjoyed by Debe beginning with hospitality management at a variety of hotels including the Disneyland Hotel, Opryland Hotel, the Radisson and Hilton Hotel in Wilmington. In 1992 she joined her brother and future husband in a database consulting business where she excelled in customer service and fiscal management. She will be well remembered by many for her organizing the DataEase Technical Conferences held in the Radisson for several years, and her Laptop Jamborees where attendees would hover over their laptop computers talking techie stuff while she danced to the band.

Debe was well known for her wit and sense of humor, and she was quick with sharp responses, often leaving her friends speechless. On the phone at work she was "PLM Consulting, this is Debe," and a client would ask some technical question and Debe would answer, "I have no idea, but thanks for asking."

Debe is survived by her husband, Graham Smith of Rehoboth Beach; her brothers Dave and his wife Sherry of Daytona Beach, Fla., and Phil and his wife Ellen of Dewey Beach; her sister Linda Rambo and husband Jim of Ajijic, Mexico; and niece, Alicia Winkler of Bellcamp, Md.

Service will be private. A celebration of her life will be held at a future date.