Deborah 'Deb' Elaine (Emel) Ingraham
Deborah "Deb" Elaine (Emel) Ingraham passed away in her home in Titusville, Fla. on September 25, 2020. She was born on March 14, 1958 to the late David H. Emel Sr. and Shirley (Perryman) Lively in Bellefonte, Pa.
Growing up she traveled the country with her family many times and spent her later days with her fiancé & longtime love of 19 years, John Gardner and their furrkids Rocko, Cali and Brutus.
Deb's career was mostly in the car industry, and if there was a question on how to fix one or how things worked, she was the person to ask.
One of Deb's best traits was that if she loved you, she loved you unconditionally. You could tell her anything without judgement yet was blunt with her opinions when asked. She had a love of family like no other, whether it was family board game night or cards at the table, impromptu softball games or a night of adult libations catching up with those most dear to her, memories being made was of great importance. She also felt it was her duty to teach her family to dance with their soul on any dance floor, go on spontaneous adventures and she expected everyone to either learn to swim with her or drown, at least according to her way of thinking. She was a GREAT COOK and made the best homemade spaghetti sauce & sausage and gravy but she had also perfected her mom's Spanish Rice recipe from memory. Deb was wild and stubborn and had a passionate love for adventure. She canoed with alligators, swam with sharks, floated down unknown rivers, lived in the Bahamas, enjoyed going to dirt track races and there wasn't a rollercoaster she wouldn't ride. She loved Mick Jagger, any music by Prince and the Eagles as well as singing karaoke.
Deb is loved and missed by many. She is survived by her fiancé, John Gardner; sisters, Lisa (Emel) Hopkins of Milford, Del. and Melissa (Miles) Berner (Robert "her Bobert") of Georgetown, Del.; brothers: Jody Miles of Cumberland, Md., and David H. Emel Jr. (Penny) of Fredericksburg, Va.; nieces, Melissa M. (Tenalio) Williams (Jason Sapp) of Greenwood, Del., Kari (Mozian) Pontieri (Erminio) of Parma, Ohio, Raven Berner of Philadelphia, Pa., Jessica (Berner) Peters (Garrett); great niece & nephews, Caroline, Lukas and Jacob Peters) of Greenville, Tenn.; nephew, Daniel Berner of Millsboro, Del.; step-son, Michael Gardner of Tampa, Fla.; step-grandchildren, Jacob and Natalie; as well as all of her Berner and Hudson Families; along with many more nieces, nephews, great nieces & nephews, In-laws and close Family Friends.
In addition to her parents; Deb was preceded in death by her brother, Christopher J. Miles; and nieces, Lauren Miles and Lindsay Ann Osborne.
A memorial will be held for Deb at a date and time to be determined.