Debra Jean Koschik was born on March 3, 1951 in Grand Haven, Michigan to parents, Kenneth and Evelyn (Zimmer) DeCan. She passed away on April 13, 2022 surrounded by her family.
She grew up in Spring Lake, MI as the oldest of seven girls and one boy in a small house with one bathroom which made them a close-knit family. She met her lifelong friend, Peggy Botbyl, in first grade at St. Mary’s.
After graduating from Spring Lake High School, she married Terrance Botbyl on Sept 24, 1969. They had three children together — Julie, Brian, and Randy. Terry’s military service led them to Witchita, Kansas where Julie was born. They lived in Las Vegas for a short time before moving back to Michigan, where Brian and Randy were born.
In 1981, they moved to the warmer weather of Phoenix, Arizona where they enjoyed hiking up the mountains and camping in the desert. Debbie and Terry divorced in 1986.
On May 28, 1988 she married Richard Koschik. This year they would have been married for 34 wonderful years. His career moved them to California, and eventually to Houston, Texas, where they settled in Kingwood. All of Debbie’s children eventually found their way to Texas. This made Debbie happy, because she loved being surrounded by family, celebrating events and holidays together or just hanging out by the pool. Friends were always welcome; her philosophy was “the more, the merrier”. She made everybody feel like family.
Debbie made many enduring friendships, including Connie Helms, who remained a constant comfort to both her and Rich.
Debbie was a member of the Kingwood Chamber of Commerce and led a crew for Kingwood Cleanup Day, an event held every January to pick up trash. The items found during this event brought much laughter and discussion. Involving her grandkids to help every year taught them and their friends the importance of respecting the community. She had a love for gardening and her and Rich could be found in their beautiful backyard, pruning roses or planting new flowers.
Rich and Debbie loved to travel. Their trips took them to Jamaica, Alaska, the Mediterranean, and Hawaii. They also visited their hometowns, Pittsburgh and Spring Lake, and many other towns to visit family.
Debbie was a vivacious, caring, genuine, beautiful woman, inside and out. She was just as likely to give you a big, lipstick-smeared kiss on the cheek as she was to slap your wrist and tell you to wait for dessert until after dinner — and not just with her grandkids. She knew how to be there for you, whether it was comforting you through a major trial in life, or sitting poolside with you, beer in hand, singing along to her favorite songs. She had a beautiful voice. Whether she knew that or not, it didn’t stop her from driving around in her convertible with the top down, singing Brooks & Dunn’s greatest hits at the top of her lungs. She had incredible emotion — you could always count on her to cry when she would receive Rich’s Christmas present every year. Never a day went by without her sharing her happiness with others through her infectious laugh and smile. When you would walk into a room and hear her laugh, you couldn’t help but smile, even though you didn’t know what was funny.
Throughout Debbie’s life, she spread joy and love to everyone around her. She was a beacon in the darkest of times, and an extra sparkle during the best of times. Debbie was someone you could count on, no matter what the occasion. She lived her life to the fullest and inspired everyone in her life to do the same. She set her family’s traditions — ones that we will continue for her in her memory. This Mother’s Day will be celebrated sitting by her pool, drinking a Bud Light Lime, listening and dancing to classic rock music, just as we would have done if she were still here.
Debbie is survived by her husband, Rich Koschik; her children, Julie, Brian, and Randy and their spouses; 11 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; mother, Evelyn Decan; siblings, Denise, Darcy, Doreen, Dawn, Darla, and Kenny; along with numerous others including nieces, nephews, cousins, and dozens of friends.
Debbie is preceded in death by her father, Kenneth Decan; and her sister, Diane Owen.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Debbie’s name to Kingwood Memory Café at www.momscareplan.com/memory_cafe or via mail to: Kingwood Memory Café, 4582 Kingwood Drive, Suite E #339, Kingwood, TX 77345; or to Care Partners at https://carepartnerstexas.org/support-carepartners/donate/ ; or to the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at https://alzfdn.org/support-us/donate/
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.kingwoodfuneralhome.com for the Koschik family.
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