Deborah Verbillis

Deborah Hewit Verbillis, age 69, of Bel Air, Maryland passed away on December 9, 2021 at her home. Born in the Drexel Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia PA, she was the daughter of Anne Holcombe Fitch Trippe and the late Frank Goodfellow Hewit. She grew up in Westfield, NJ and Pound Ridge, NY. She spent her summers on Shelter Island, NY at her family’s beloved summer home. She graduated High School in 1970 from Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, CT. 

After moving to Maryland, she obtained her bachelor’s degree from Towson University and worked as an addiction counselor for the State of Maryland in Cecil County, eventually became the Director of Women’s Programs for the State, and later worked for the Harford County Health Department Addictions Services until her retirement. 

Deborah was an avid music lover and for many years sang with the Upper Chesapeake Chorus of Sweet Adelines International. She found great joy in helping others and volunteered for many organizations including the Upper Chesapeake Medical Center and the Chesapeake Cancer Alliance. She was a Wish-Granter for the Mid-Atlantic Make-A-Wish Foundation. She supported mothers who lost babies by making memorial bracelets and burial gowns at the time of her passing, she was serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for a child in foster care with CASA of Harford County. 

She was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Bel Air, where she played Bells as a member of the Resomants, and Chimes as a member of the Day Chimers. She liked to refer to herself as a Ding-A-Ling. She was an avid quilter who taught many to quilt.

She enjoyed cruising with her husband, and travel in the US and abroad. Two especially memorable trips were to Paris, France and a cruise in the Greek Islands. 

Her favorite thing in the whole world was being Nana to her nine grandchildren whom she is survived by: Ashlynn and Zoey Wolinski, Anna Vee, Everett and Zechariah Hoy, Everly and Harper Shuebrooks, and Jared and Jeff Webb. 

Deborah is survived by her husband of 29 years, John Verbillis; her four daughters, Amanda Wolinski, Kirsten Hoy, Crystal Shuebrooks and Margaret Webb. She is also survived by her mother Anne Trippe, her brother, Dr. Scott Hewit; her four sisters, Margaret Mackie, Stacie Elliott, Jennifer Morrow and Carrie Peck, her sister-by-choice Sally Hewit, and brothers-in-law Tom Mackie, Steve Elliot, Craig Morrow, Matt Peck as well as too many nieces and nephews to count. She also leaves behind two beloved dogs (Simon and Chip) and a cat (Kitty) .

A Memorial Service will be held in the Spring.

Memorial contributions may be made to CASA of Harford County (www.CASAofHarfordCounty.org/donate) to support this important work she so dearly loved.