Deborah A Digennaro

Debbie A. DiGennaro, 64 passed away unexpectedly but peacefully at St. Luke’s Hospital, Maumee, OH, with her devoted family by her side on August 11, 2016. Debbie fought cancer and other health conditions with dignity, courage, faith and an endless abundance of hope and strength, and is now at peace with our dear Lord and Savior. Debbie, Catholic by faith, was preceded in death by her loving father, John (Butch) Loverich and in-laws Orlando (Lundy) and Rose DiGennaro, all of Aliquippa, PA. She is survived by the love of her life and husband of 42 years, Frank DiGennaro, of Perrysburg, OH, who was her childhood sweetheart since age 17. Also surviving are their children, Paul (P.J.) DiGennaro and fiancée Lauren Ponti-Zins of Cincinnati, OH, and Alexis DiGennaro and sons Tyson and Gavin, of Virginia Beach, VA. Additional survivors include her compassionate and always encouraging mother, Mary (Cookie) Loverich, her brother Jon (Diane) Loverich and their sons Dylan and Dustin, of Beaver, PA, brother-in-law, Danny DiGennaro of Brookville, PA, and numerous loving aunts, , cousins, and loyal friends. Debbie graduated from Penn State in 1973 and later in life attended Kent State, receiving a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS). Before retiring in 2015, Debbie was a manager at the Heatherdowns Branch of the Toledo/Lucas County Library for 8 years, the Perrysburg Way Public Library for 13 years, and the Toledo Hospital Library in the Lucas County Library system for 16 years. Debbie was not your typical librarian. Her robust laugh, contagious smile, and witty and engaging conversational talents endeared her to all that knew and loved her. Whether she was planning a special children’s reading event, activities for seniors, or welcoming politicians to the area, she could light up a room effortlessly and engage hearts and minds easily with her warm and gentle spirit. A member and volunteer for the American University of University Women (AAUW), Debbie always found time for others. She served in a leadership capacity to help increase awareness of non-traditional careers for women in the workplace and pay equity for women. Debbie was passionate about her Serbian and Italian upbringing. At home with her children’s friends or when travelling to see her family and grandsons, Debbie would go to great lengths to make sure her signature homemade pasta, meatballs, and wedding soup were on the menu, topped off with Cookie’s pogača and traditional Serbian cookies for dessert. Holiday meals and events will never ever be the same without Debbie. She was thrilled knowing her son, Paul, would marry next year and was equally ecstatic having Gavin and Tyson all to herself and Frank recently in Perrysburg for a weeklong, fun-filled Nana/Nunu vacation. They too were the loves of her life. Friends will be received at Witzler-Shank Funeral Home, 222 E. South Boundary St., Perrysburg, Ohio (419-874-3133) on Tuesday, August 16th from 10am to 1 pm with a funeral service starting at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations to be made to The Victory Center, 5532 W. Central Ave. Suite B Toledo Ohio 43615. Online condolences may be made to witzlershank.com