Deborah Brejcha Obituary

Brejcha, Deborah Ann

Deborah Ann Brejcha, nee Dahms, age 84, born and raised in Ft. Atkinson, WI and a nearly 60-year resident of Chicago and Evanston, IL, schooled at St. Paul's Lutheran school and Fort Atkinson High, who earned a B.A. in Modern Language at Ripon College and an M.S. in Education Administration at DePaul University, and who spent a long and accomplished career as a respected and beloved high school Spanish teacher and administrator at five different Wisconsin and North Central Suburban Chicago high schools, both public and private, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, April 6, 2025.

Debbie, as everyone called her, is survived by her devoted husband of nearly 47 years, Thomas ("Tom") Brejcha, a lawyer, and her two sons, of whom she was extremely proud, Matthew Walter ("Matt") Brejcha (Laura-Min Proctor) also of Evanston, Illinois, and Peter Thomas ("Pete") Brejcha (Whitney Cale Brejcha) of Los Angeles, California. Debbie is also survived by five grandchildren of whom she was likewise especially proud: Luke and Sophie Brejcha, of Evanston, and Jack, Henry, and Grace Brejcha of Los Angeles. She is survived as well by beloved sisters, Mary Dahms Jeffery (William) of Janesville, WI, and Helen Dahms of Milwaukee, WI, her devoted brother-in-law William (Cynthia) Brejcha of Oak Lawn, IL, and her beloved nieces and nephews, Sarah Jeffery, of Janesville, WI, Brian (Caitlin) Brejcha of Buda, TX, and Kevin (Megan) Brejcha, of Naperville, IL, and other lovingly esteemed cousins.

Debbie was intent on using words, foreign words and plain English words alike, as ways of breaking down barriers that divide us from "strangers." She tried to convince her Spanish language students to treat grammar rules not as obstacles but, rather, as tools for interacting meaningfully with fellow human beings and understanding new and different cultures. Her special passion, even outside the classroom, was to strike up new conversations, even with strangers, and get folks not only to start but sustain them and try to make new friendships that, she hoped, would be lasting ones. Indeed, she was blessed to have both a loving family and an abundance of special friends whom she dearly cherished.

Debbie will be missed. In her honor, let's keep talking, in whatever language, even to strangers! In lieu of flowers, her family asks that you might consider a memorial gift to either Saints Joseph & Francis Xavier Parish "One Plan" Building Improvements Program, in Wilmette, IL; or to Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, earmarking your gift to support Lurie's Dr. Mary Clyde Pierce's research on epigenetics in the field of Child Abuse Pediatrics; or to the Northlight Theatre Building Project, in Evanston, IL; or to any other charity deemed worthy.

Debbie's Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on May 29, 2025, by Rev. Wayne Watts, Pastor, following a 10:00 a.m. wake, at St. Joseph's Church, 1747 Lake Avenue, Wilmette, IL. Interment will be at Evanston's Calvary Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. Further arrangements are pending.

info: donnellanfuneral.com or (847)675-1990

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