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Deborah Joy (Hecht) Channell
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Deborah Joy (nee Tomasch) (Hecht) Channell, 72, of Sun City West, passed away Sunday, September 30, 2018 at Mariposa Point in Surprise, AZ.She was pre-deceased by the man she loved, Wes Channell on August 6, 2018. Surviving immediate family include her son, Joel Hecht; daughter-in-law, Sandra Cox; and step-daughter, Erin Channell. She is also survived by her sister, Sylvia Tomasch; niece, Sari Yanishefsky; sisters and brother-in-laws, Ruth & Greg French and Jan & Dan Ritter; niece, Heather Edgar; and other family members.Deborah received her PhD from the University of Texas and pursued a successful career in Community College administration, frequently presenting significant papers at national events.After her retirement in 2004, she moved to Sun City West where she and Wes were married. The couple traveled extensively both domestically and internationally, managing to visit all seven continents. During their travels they enjoyed many unique experiences such as camping on the Antarctic Continent and riding Camels in the Gobi Desert while meeting many interesting and fun people.In Sun City West, Deborah loved to entertain whether for neighborhood "pouring's", a hundred people for a holiday wine a cheese gathering, or intimate dinner parties. She arranged neighborhood garage sales and numerous activities such as Mardi Gras Parties and Oscar night Galas. The Boomer Club and the Zymurgy Club were great joys for her. She was also active in the community volunteering at the SCW Visitors Center and Library. Live theater was a passion; she served as an active volunteer in various theaters throughout the Phoenix Metro area.Throughout Deborah's adult life, she maintained active membership in the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and also served as President of the Northwest Valley Chapter. Because of her desire to support young women entering college, she asked that those who wish, send donations to:Northwest Valley AAUW Scholarship Fundc/o NWV-AAUW13940 W. Meeker Blvd., Suite 115-217,Sun City West, AZ 85375Please Note: The Memo portion of checks should be clearly annotated "For Scholarship Fund". All contributions will be gratefully accepted and be used to support local women's scholarships.
