Deborah Anne Blackwood De Hont, who was this woman? Well, I've known her for over 41 years. I've been married to her for 40 plus years.

The first time I met her was for a wedding we were both in, she for the bride and I for the groom. She would laugh every time I would tell her it was love at first sight and that I knew immediately that she would be the love of my life. Well, I was right.

She had such joy for life. She loved music, boxing, MMA, football, the ID channel, and Judge Judy. She loved to play pool and shuffleboard, and was damn good at both, as some of you TOA members found out once we moved here. We were bar hounds early on and happy hour hounds once we moved here.

This 5'4″ 110 lb. woman was one of the strongest women I've ever met. She was also one of the kindest and caring women you could ever know.

My career required a lot of long hours and significant travel. She raised the kids and ran the household, never complaining or asking for anything. Well, she did have a penchant for buying expensive pocket books, which I didn't know about until we packed to move here and I found 9 full crates of brand new ones still with the price tag on them. She loved concerts and made it a point to buy the best seats in the house.

Her greatest love was her 3 kids. She raised them to love many of things she loved, but also pushed them to love what they wanted to love. She had a great, but weird, sense of humor and thankfully all three of them have it too. I have to say, my 3 kids are really smart. Throughout the years I've told many people that Debbie must be a genius because they didn't get their smarts from me, as many of you have already told me, you agree.

All kidding aside, Debbie was a friend to many, a great mother, and the best wife a man could have. She had to fight so many mental and physical problems, yet she never, ever complained. Her battle with ovarian cancer was a real challenge. She beat it the first time it reared its ugly head. Then, during her second bout, she fought like hell just like she did with every other obstacle she faced.

We're here today to celebrate Debbie's life not to mourn her loss. Hopefully, when you think of Debbie, a smile comes across your face, I know it will when I do.

Our wedding song was "Until the Twelve of Never, by Johnny Mathis. One of the the lyrics is "until the twelfth of never I'll still be loving you". Yes Deborah, until the twelfth of never we will all still be loving you.

God bless my love, until we meet again. Debbie is survived by her loving husband, Raymond J. De Hont, of Lititz; parents, Francis and Ellen Blackwood; children, Raymond F. De Hont, husband of Jacqui, of Minneapolis, Candice, wife of Russell Freer of San Bruno, CA, and Shannon "Mush", wife of Sean DeHarde of Sewickley, PA; grandchildren, Violet, Teddy, and Felix, and a sister, Tracy Kirchner.

Friends will be received on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at the Charles F. Snyder, Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory, 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA 17543, from 3 to 5 PM, with a memorial service to follow. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.