Debra Stoll

Debbie, 61, of Chapel Hill, NC, passed away peacefully this past week, surrounded by family and friends, after a sixteen-year battle with breast cancer, which she met with remarkable strength and grace.

Born in Astoria, Queens, and raised in Levittown, Long Island, Debbie grew up alongside her lifelong best friends, Marypat and Maureen. An exceptional student, she went on to earn her master’s-level education as a Physician Assistant in 1995. She met the love of her life, Mike, in 1993, and the two were married in June 1995, beginning 31 years of marriage together.

Debbie was a devoted mother and took great pride in raising her two daughters, Alexandra and Olivia, into successful young women. She was an active member of the PTA during her daughters’ younger years and was, in every sense, the rock of her family — offering steady guidance and unwavering support to everyone lucky enough to be part of her life. She had a gift for connecting with people and could talk for hours to anyone. She was famous for wandering off in the grocery store, deep in conversation with someone she just met. Debbie was endlessly curious about the world, and travel was one of her greatest passions. She explored that love first as a travel agent, and later by planning trips for her family and friends to enjoy together.

In 2011, Debbie was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer. Over the sixteen years that followed, she endured countless surgeries, rounds of radiation, and chemotherapy, never once allowing the disease to define her or diminish the love and light she brought to those around her. She continued to support her daughters as they grew into successful young women — Alexandra now in her third year of medical school at ECU and Olivia is thriving in a government career in Washington, DC. As the physical constraints of her illness limited the life she once knew, Debbie found new sources of joy in gardening and pottery. Rather than let the disease narrow her world, she used it to discover new sources of meaning.

Debbie is survived by her husband, Mike; her daughters, Alexandra and Olivia; her brother, Rob; her sister, Jeanine; her parents, Kathy and Bob; and her dogs, Milo and Maisy.

A memorial service for Debbie will be held on Friday, August 14, 2026, at 3 pm at Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC. Please join us for a service in the main church followed by a reception in the Parish Hall. Food and drinks will be provided.

In place of flowers, please consider donating to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.