Debra was born in Newton on June 28, 1956 to the late Edward N. and Frances L. (Rocco) Ryker. Prior to her retirement, Debra was a Senior Manager – Sales Data Reporting and Johnson and Johnson. Her determination saw her climb the corporate ladder through three different mergers. Debbie was a strong Manager; she understood the strengths of her team and instilled in her teammates how important accuracy was. She was selfless and always put the company before herself. Many times, she stayed behind when they had meetings off-site, to ensure things ran without a hitch for the Sales force.
Aside from her career, Debbie enjoyed riding her three Harley motorcycles and her hospice team coordinated for her to become an honorary Ladies of Harley member. She was also a member of the North West Jersey Chapter of Harley-Davidson. Debbie enjoyed playing drums, family history, and her beloved pets. A resilient woman, Debbie was a breast cancer survivor and endured a 10 year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
A visitation will be held on Monday, October 9, 2023 from 4 p.m. -7 p.m. at Smith-McCracken Funeral Home, 63 High Street, Newton, NJ. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 10 a.m. at Baleville Congregational Church, 6 Church Road, Newton, NJ. Interment will follow at Baleville Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made out to Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011 or Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 28 West 44th Street, Suite 609, New York, NY 10036.
