Deborah Ann (Patrova) Kennedy, 63, passed away April 17, 2017. She was born in South Kingston, Rhode Island on December 8, 1953, to Frank E. Patrova and Margaret Mulholland Patrova. She graduated from Sinton High School, Sinton, Texas in 1971 where she was in the band, an honor student and a senior twirler of the Pirate twirling team. Education became a focus for Deborah, and went on to graduate from Texas A & I University, Kingsville, Texas, with a Bachelor Degree in Secondary Education. She was also a member of the Texas A&I track team. Continuing her focus on education, she began her teaching career at Taft Junior High School in Taft, Texas, where she taught health and physical education and coached the volleyball and track teams. She then moved to Houston and was a biology teacher and Girls' Head Track Coach at Spring Woods High School. Together with her years at Westchester High School and Stratford High School, she taught and coached for 17 years and excellently prepared thousands of students for higher education. It was one of the most satisfying of her many accomplishments. She later continued her education at the University of Houston and earned a Master Education Degree in Science Education and later a second Master Degree in Counseling. She was a School Counselor at Cypress Falls High School when she retired. In retirement, she was an active and avid participant in the local Jazzercise program, along with a loving group of loyal friends, was a volunteer at Bo's Place, where she provided grief counseling, and a volunteer at Loving Arms Pet Placement, where she was able to enthusiastically provide aid to rescued dogs and cats.  She remained a member of numerous professional organizations and charitable organizations.

Deborah was preceded in death by her father, Frank E. Patrova. She is survived by her mother, Margaret Patrova, of Sinton, Texas; her husband of 32 years, Robert T. Kennedy; her daughter, Morgan P. Kennedy of Campbell, Texas; two sisters, Karen (Gary) Byrd of Robstown, Texas and Cheryl (Billy) Rhodes of Noble, Oklahoma; and her brother, Timothy Patrova of Sinton, Texas. She is also survived by two nieces and three nephews, Trevor Mawer, Lacey Edwards, Lindsay Edwards, Christopher Patrova, and Kody Kemp and one great-nephew, Ayden Edwards.

She brought energy, enthusiasm and encouragement into the lives of the many people she touched, and will be sorely missed by them all.