Deborah June Ondriezek passed away on Thursday, March 11, 2004,
at Los Gatos Community Hospital, with her husband, children, family
and friends at her side.
Deborah June Ondriezek passed away on Thursday, March 11, 2004, at Los Gatos Community Hospital, with her husband, children, family and friends at her side.
Deborah June Burke, known as Debbie to her friends and family, was born on July 27, 1957, to Lorraine and John in Klamath Falls, Ore.
Debbie attended elementary school in Aracata for three years and finished grade school in San Jose. She graduated from Pioneer High School in 1975. Debbie attended San Jose State and graduated with a bachelor’s of science in speech pathology and audiology in 1979. Debbie achieved her master’s degree in 1981.
She loved jazz dance and according to her brother Dan, she was the last of the disco queens. She just loved disco music. In high school and college, Debbie was a vibrant part of McJunken Dance Studio’s senior group – the head teacher of the studio took them out to entertain various organizations. Debbie even sewed all of her own costumes for the recitals.
Debbie met the love of her life, David Ondriezek at The Parlor in Campbell in 1980. They got married on Sept. 20, 1986.
During the following years, at hospitals and clinics throughout the Santa Clara county, Debbie worked with children and people with head injuries. She was a fabulous speech therapist who helped many people overcome speech problems due to head injuries and strokes.
Her first child, Matthew, was born in 1990 with her daughter, Monica, following in 1992. Debbie and her kids were very active in the local Las Madres group and later in the Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts.
Debbie loved to take pictures and her photo albums were her expression for her love for life. She also loved arts and crafts – family members will always cherish the many handmade gifts they received at Christmas and on birthdays over the years.
Debbie was a member of South Valley Community Church where she attended services and Bible studies.
Debbie had a smile that could, and always did, light up any room she entered. She put up an incredible fight against cancer and stumped her doctors a number of times by her successes. She was not a person to take this diagnosis and hide in a closet. She asked for and received help from dozens of her friends in Gilroy – women from her mothers’ group, Las Madres, from her church group, from her work colleagues. Everyone who had the privilege to bring her a meal, shuttle her children, accompany her to a chemo appointment and a hundred other tasks, received an invaluable gift from this truly special woman. As one friend of hers said, “Debbie brings out the best in us.”
Debbie was predeceased by her father John, who passed away in 1990. Debbie is survived by her husband David, son Matthew, daughter Monica, sister Danita, twin brother Daniel, and brothers John, Jerry and mother Lorraine.
Public services will be held at the South Valley Community Church on Wednesday at 1 p.m. Habing Family Funeral Home, Gilroy is in charge of arrangements. Debbie will be buried at Gavilan Hills Cemetery.
A fund has been established for the children at Wells Fargo Bank, 273 E. Tenth St. Gilroy.
