Debra's obituary
Steven Lorusso shares the news that “my beautiful, generous, & amazing wife, Debra Drown Lorusso, passed away on her 63rd birthday at Rutland Regional Medical Center. She fought a valiant 9-month battle against an aggressive cancer.
Debra was born in Rockland, Maine on June 1, 1961 to Mary Patrica & Rodney Drown. “Debby led an incredible life,” says Steve, “with her beauty and radiance remembered by all who knew her. She was loved by many!”
As a young child, Deb and her family lived in two lighthouses on the coast of Maine: Whitehead Island off the coast of mid-coast Maine, and Marshall Point, in Port Clyde, Maine. She and her sister, Suzanne, spent endless hours exploring beautiful grounds surrounding the lighthouses, including the rocky shore at Marshall Point. The family moved to Portland, Maine when Deb was 7 years-old, then to Pittsford, Vermont five years later, when her father, a 23-year Coast Guard veteran, accepted a post as CG recruiter before retiring and settling there.
Debra spent many summers in the Morgan, Vermont area, where she learned to swim at Seymour Lake. Debra was (of course!) a lifeguard and taught swimming to many lucky children. Her love of the water continued throughout her life. Her husband, Steve, called her “my mermaid” because she would swim many backstroke laps while he floated nearby.
At Otter Valley High School, Debby became a wonderful gymnast and was one of the leads in the musical Oliver during her senior year. She attended the University of Vermont, continuing to study theater, puppetry, and art education. This led to her involvement in the famous Bread & Puppet Theater in Vermont, where she learned to walk on stilts and became a talented puppeteer. She continued to hone these skills touring with companies in NYC & Long Island, and later, in her work with the Honolulu Theater for Youth.
During her early years in NYC, Debby worked as a nanny for Carly Simon and James Taylor’s two children, Ben and Sally. She lived in James’ former recording studio on the roof of The Dakotas on Central Park West, traveled with them to their rural farm and to Martha’s Vineyard, and even appeared in one of Carly’s music videos. Deb continued to follow Ben and Sally’s careers throughout her life.
Debby was a dedicated educator and loved teaching art in schools in Vermont, Maine, and Hawaii. Nurturing creativity in children was her passion and she maintained portfolios of their work for years after she stopped teaching. She especially loved her time in Hawaii, at the Kamehameha School, helping students to create amazing art & puppets.
Her parents were her touchstone throughout her life. Her dad, Rodney, taught her many nautical skills and her mother, Mary Pat, inspired her to become a lifelong reader and lover of books. In fact, Deb met her husband, Steve Lorusso, at a used book sale at the Rutland Free Library in 2012, when she picked up a book that Steve had donated. This was the beginning of their magical time together. They would develop a love of book and tag sales that would bind them together throughout their 11-year marriage. Debby especially loved finding gifts for friends (and kids of friends) at these sales and loved giving gifts to everyone she cared for, year round. Shopping these sales and the gift giving that followed became a passion for both Debby and Steve.
Another (and perhaps Deb’s greatest) passion was her love for her pets. She raised and cared for dogs and cats throughout her life, and no memory of Deb would be complete without mentioning her beloved dogs, Keisha; Louie & Piper; and Tommie. She especially enjoyed raising and learning to train Tommie from puppy to teenager. She also had four cats that she loved dearly: Maggie, Emmy, Henry.
Steve says, “Debby was so full of life and love for nature, her sunflowers, and especially her lilacs.” A few years ago Steve bought her 4 lilac bushes for her birthday, which Deb declared her favorite gift from him ever. During her hard-fought battle against a very aggressive cancer, Debby swore that she would see these beautiful bushes bloom this spring - which she did!
“She was my world,” says Steve, “and I will love her eternally.” Her spirit of love and kindness will live on in him and in all who knew her!
Debby is survived by her husband, Steve Lorusso, of North Clarendon, Vermont; her sister, Suzanne Drown Trout, and brother-in-law, Chris Trout, of South Portland, Maine; her niece, Zoe Trout, of Brooklyn, NY, and her nephew, Alex Trout, and his wife, Nancy Varin.
Steve and Debby ask, if you would like to remember Debby well, that you please make a donation in her name to either the Rutland County Humane Society or The Feline Connection: Cat Rescue.
A celebration of life is planned for sometime in the future and will be announced here. (Please note that you can ask Everloved to notify you when this information has been made available.)
Please feel free to share memories and photos you may have of Debby on this site, so her family - and all who loved her - can remember with you. We are deeply appreciative of your love and support.
