Debbi was an art major at Tyler Junior College and SMU. She may have taught in public school before working for City of Richardson Parks and Recreation, holding art classes for children and clerking Heights Recreation Center. She was also a highly esteemed docent at the Sixth Floor Museum Dallas for many years. She continued to create works that were featured in the Cottonwood Art Festival. Debbi was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2019 and succumbed to kidney failure on Saturday, July 2, 2022 at the T. Boone Pickens Hospice and Palliative Care Center in Dallas.

Obituary for Deborah Gatlin Lelewicz from Restland Funeral Home

Deborah Gatlin Lelewicz, 70, of Richardson, TX passed away on July 2nd, 2022 surrounded by love. Debbi was a proud Dallas native born on December 22, 1951 to Herman Gatlin and Irene Evans Gatlin. She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband, Ken. Debbi is survived by her daughter Veronica Felts and husband Aaron, two grandchildren, Caitlyn and Olivia, 3 brothers Don Gatlin and wife Judy, David Gatlin and wife Beth, Dick Gatlin and wife Sandy, many nieces, nephews, cousins and cherished friends.

Born in Dallas and living in the Dallas area all of her life she was proud of her history and heritage. After high school she attended and graduated from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Being a Dallas native, she worked at local staples including Half Price Books, the String Bean restaurant and the City of Richardson as a children’s art teacher. She met the love of her life Kenneth Lelewicz and they married in 1975. She was talented in many with her passions being art and children. She was a painter, jewelry maker, mixed media art master, children’s art teacher and much more. Debbi and Ken realized their dream of parenthood in 1983 when they adopted their daughter, Veronica.

Debbi loved people and was known for her kindness and dedication to volunteering. She volunteered with Girl Scouts leading a troop for many years, was a school favorite as room mom and PTA member, was a Friend of the Richardson Public Library and probably most notably a volunteer docent at the Sixth Floor Museum. With the assassination of President Kennedy in her beloved city the event played a formative role in her life, she spent hundreds of hours educating others both inside and outside of the Texas School Book Depository. She also made many friends volunteering and was known for inviting out of town visitors over to her house for meals and conversations, keeping in touch with some until this day. Her passion for people and kindness was truly unmatched and her laugh absolutely filled up the room.

Debbi’s love did not stop at people as she was an avid collector of many things. She loved the Beatles, Barbies and cats. She shared her love and collections with others and brought smiles to many faces. Debbi loved deeply and is already greatly missed.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm at Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano on Saturday, July 16th. Donations may be made in her name to ALZ.org or to a local animal shelter.

Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 2:00pm at The Venue - Custer Road United Methodist Church, 66001 Custer Road, Plano, Texas 75023.

Funeral Arrangements have been faithfully entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery, which is located at 13005 Greenville Ave., Dallas Texas 75243