Deborah O'Donnell

Deborah O’Donnell of Philomath, Oregon, died July 7, 2012 of natural causes. She was 81. Deborah was born November 15, 1930, in Omaha, Nebraska, to parents Ray Arthur Dunn and Anita Jeannette Cotton Dunn. She grew up in Auburn, Nebraska, and lost both her parents prior to graduating from Auburn High School May 18, 1948. Debbie married Theodore Milton Rarick of Auburn, Nebraska, on November 11, 1950, at the Church of the Ascension Episcopal Church, Auburn, Nebraska, who enlisted in the Air Force and served in the Korean War, while she nurtured their first two children, Patrick and Daniel. After Ted was honorably discharged and completed his Master’s degree in geography at the University of Oregon in 1957, they made their home in Corvallis, Oregon, where Ted taught at Corvallis High School and Deborah was a homemaker. After their other two children, Christopher and Jeannette, were born, she became a student at Oregon State University studying music with a focus on piano and voice. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music in 1969, then taught piano and voice lessons in her music studio in her homes for 42 years and for many years taught more than 30 students. She was active in the Oregon Music Teachers Association and was a member of Zonta International of Corvallis for thirteen years. After Ted died on December 20, 1976, she continued to teach out of her home and traveled to India & Nepal, Australia, Greece, Hawaii, and Alaska. n June 19, 1982, she married Robert E. O’Donnell, a school teacher in Corvallis, at the Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in Corvallis, Oregon. They sang in the church choir, enjoyed traveling, and built two homes, one in Corvallis and their final one in Philomath. Deborah continued to teach piano and voice lessons out of her home and had the pleasure of teaching several of her grandchildren. She enjoyed gardening, knitting, cooking, and hosting St. Patrick’s Day dinners. Robert O’Donnell died June 30, 2011. Deborah continued to live at home and teach piano and voice lessons until her death. She was a faith-filled woman devoting many hours to daily prayer and service to her church. She is survived by her family, Patrick Rarick and wife, Debrah; Daniel Rarick and wife, Nancy; Chris Rarick and wife, Karol; and Jeannette Baker and husband, Jon. She had five grandchildren: Konstantin, Nathaniel, Michelle, Helen, Theresa and husband, Nathan; and two great grandchildren, Landon and Simon. A memorial service will be held at the Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in Corvallis, Oregon, on August 9, 2012, at 2 p.m. Deborah’s students or friends are invited to play the piano in the reception hall following the service. Memorial gifts may be made in her honor to the OSU Foundation, 850 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR, 97333, to support music scholarships and piano activities at Oregon State University Music Department.

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Deborah O'Donnell

November 15, 1930 - July 7, 2012