Deboran Patricia Giraudy-Whitaker

Sunrise: June 27, 1958

Sunset: August 16, 2019

Deboran Patricia Giraudy-Whitaker was born in Queens, New York. The middle child to Charles Bertram Giraudy and Eleanor Jane Pepper. A fetching young woman, Deboran attended the High School of Fashion Industries before transferring to Benjamin Cardozo High School in Bayside, where she graduated.

Her first child, David James Giraudy, was born in 1975. His father, David James, was an Army serviceman. In 1981, her second child was born, in Charles Everett Whitaker III. That same year, Deboran wed Charles Jr. The two were married for twenty years [twenty-four in total], with the majority of those years spent living in Hollis, New York, before amicably separating in 2001.

Shortly thereafter, Deboran arrived in Freeport, New York, where she spent the last eighteen-plus years of her amazing life. A jet-setter by nature, she traveled far and wide, making memories all over the world in locales like China, Brazil, Senegal, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Bermuda, Egypt and St. Lucia.

To know her is to know that everything begins with her unwavering love for her God, Jehovah. She found his wisdom and support at a critical juncture in her youth and never looked back. A humble and devoted servant of Jehovah, the blessings bestowed upon Deboran were too numerous to list.

One of those blessings was her bountiful family, beginning with her beloved grandmother, Marguerite Pepper Smith and larger than life uncle, John Pepper; these two would play pivotal roles in shaping her frugality and gregarious personality that she carried with her always. The hilarious financial guru who sometimes wore a fanny pack, but who was unmatched when it came to stretching a dollar.

Professionally, Deboran joined the phone company in 1981, working at the former New York Telephone through its many iterations, before finally being absorbed into Verizon, where she spent thirty-five years overall, officially retiring in February 2017. Whether she was located in Brooklyn, Lynbrook or Garden City, there was at least one thing you could set your watch to when it came to Deboran:

She possessed a tremendous work ethic. Only severe illness would be able keep her from doing her job and supporting her family. Overtime may have been a naughty word to some, but to Deboran, it was like a sweet symphony. She simply would never allow her joy be snatched by anyone.

Deboran was called home on Friday, August 16, 2019. She was surrounded by her loved ones to the very end. She is survived by her two sons; grandson, David II; siblings Richard, David, Marc, Dellett, Tracey, Anthony, Katrina and Maxine; countless cousins and extended family; friends; former colleagues; brothers and sisters in her congregation and the Jehovah’s Witness community at large.

She will be forever missed.

Per her request, Deboran was cremated in Central Islip. Her remains were returned to the family.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 31^st at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Uniondale. 614 Uniondale Avenue, Uniondale, NY 11553.