Debra Sue Flack

On April 6th, 2024 Debra Sue Moskovitz Flack passed away in her home. She was born in Youngstown, Ohio where she lived with her mom, Fannie, dad, Dave, and younger sister Karen. Their family’s bond was deep, and she grew up close with her cousins who lived nearby- Diane, Ira, Nancy, and Ellen. Her parents instilled a strong sense of the importance of family from an early age which ribboned throughout her life. She was an excellent student, an honest child, and mostly a rule follower (though she was known to instigate mischief on occasion). She lived in Youngstown until attending college at The Ohio State University where she studied medical technology. Following college she worked at University Hospital in Columbus but one final Ohio winter storm drove her to warmer weather in the Bay Area.

When Debbie moved to California she was hired by Syva, a medical company, and began a career with them in training other med techs on how to use their equipment. While travelling for work she met her future husband, Dave Flack, on a flight from Phoenix to San Jose. She needed help putting her bag in the overhead bin and he needed an aisle seat (he was seated at the window and she at the aisle). As they were deplaning he asked for her phone number and their fate was sealed. Six months later on Dave’s birthday, January 15, 1983, they got married in a private ceremony in Lake Tahoe. Immediately following their wedding they moved to Memphis, Tennessee where Dave had taken a job. Once there, they celebrated their nuptials with family. Not long after, Debbie surprised Dave with their first “baby” as a Valentine’s present, a golden retriever puppy named Chardonnay. From there, they went on to move to Knoxville and picked out their second golden retriever, Cabernet, as a companion for Chardonnay.

In 1986 Dave’s job took them back to California, but this time to Orange County. They purchased their third home together, this time in Mission Viejo. Shortly thereafter both Debbie and Cabernet discovered they were going to be mothers. Two months after helping Cabernet deliver her puppies, Debbie welcomed her first child, a daughter named Brittany, on July 16, 1987. With her house and hands full Debbie continued to be the do-er that she had always been; she dove head first into motherhood. Not long later she welcomed her and Dave’s second child, a son named Drew, born on December 12, 1988. Shortly thereafter Debbie quit her job in medical technology and embraced a life as a stay-at-home-mom. In 1990 the family moved to a new neighborhood in Laguna Hills where Debbie formed many close friends with whom she enjoyed Bunco Nights, attended Jazzercise classes, and many trips to the beach and swim club.

As a mother Debbie was actively involved in her children’s lives. She was the first to volunteer in the classroom, be a coach or team parent, or pick up a carpool shift. She encouraged her children to be the best they possibly could be (why settle for getting by when you could put in a little more effort and excel?). After many years of staying home (and a family move to the Bay Area) she went back to work, first as a Sunday School teacher at a local temple and then as an aide to a school psychologist implementing a program for students with social-emotional challenges. She loved her job in the school district. She always knew what a difference she was making in students’ lives and was so fulfilled by her career. After the kids were grown and out of the house she also began pouring wine at a local winery a couple of weeks a month, she loved talking with people while there and enjoyed all the perks a tasting room employee and avid wine lover possibly could.

As a family the Flacks enjoyed summers at Priest Lake. Dave first took Debbie to his parent’s cabin there in the early 1980s and it quickly became one of her favorite places. At the lake Debbie ran, hiked, kayaked, and floated on the water daily. She loved to pick wildflowers and huckleberries during her time there. As an avid reader, she would always bring a bag of books with her to see how many she could complete each summer. While there she also loved to catch up with the friends she made through the years. The family also spent time in Palm Desert where Debbie would routinely take the kids for virgin Strawberry Daiquiris and a gondola ride while Dave played golf. Dave and Debbie also did a lot of travelling together as a couple. They enjoyed many trips to Lanai (a small island off of Maui) and Oahu. Their most recent vacation together was a three week trip to Kauai. They also made several international trips together through the years. They discovered that they loved Viking River Cruises and did several after they retired. Debbie was also fiercely independent and took many solo trips to several destinations. One of the trips she loved was to England and France. Additionally, she enjoyed many trips with friends she made in the Bay Area both domestically and internationally. In November in 2023 she spent several weeks in Africa where she saw Victoria Falls and went on a safari. The last trip she took, less than three weeks before her passing, was to visit her grandchildren in California.

Debbie was an incredible grandmother to her four grandchildren, Brittany’s children- Samuel and Colette, and Drew’s daughters- Eleanor and Abigail. She had the privilege of living closely to Sam and Coco during their early lives and when she and Dave accomplished their dream of retiring in the PNW she lived close to Ellie and Abby. She travelled to California several times a year to be with Sam and Coco and was able to do weekly dinners with Ellie and Abby. She loved reading and playing games with her grandchildren but one of her favorite things was just holding them. Her love for them was palpable.

Debbie was as reliable as they come, she was the type of person you could always count on and knew would be there for you in a pinch. Her cooking and baking were excellent and she never hesitated to host a party. She was the first to offer you a drink (likely a glass of wine) or a bite of food. She was strong willed, opinionated, and sometimes stubborn but you always knew exactly where she stood. She was active, even close to the end, accomplishing a marathon in her mid-forties and attending classes like Jazzercise, yoga, and Body Pump almost daily. Throughout her life she was highly optimistic and always had a positive outlook. She was smart, quick-witted, and had practical and pragmatic advice to share no matter the situation. She fought hard, loved harder, and enjoyed every aspect of life that she possibly could and will be missed greatly by all that knew her. She is preceded in death by her parents, David and Fannie Moskovitz. She is survived by her husband, Dave; daughter Brittany Elliott (her husband Josh and children Samuel and Colette); son Drew Flack (his wife Susie and daughters Eleanor and Abigail); and sister Karen Shagrin. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to The American Cancer Society.