Deborah Valerie (Riba) Strand, age 67, died peacefully in her sleep January 18th, 2023 at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw, WA after a courageous battle with cancer. Her final days were spent surrounded by her many family members and friends.

Debbie was born on April 15th, 1955 in Seattle, Washington to John and Valerie Riba. She was raised in White Center along with her five siblings. She attended Evergreen Senior High School, and later graduated from BJ’s Beauty & Barber College in 1999.

Debbie met her first husband and close friend, Michael Sappenfield, while growing up in White Center.

They married in 1971 and had four children: Laura, Vonrahe, David, and Stephanie. After the two divorced in 1988, Debbie met and married Teodore Strand, with whom she would have one more child: Andrew. Tey raised their family in NE Tacoma, later moving to Enumclaw in 2000. Debbie was proud of their business, Lake Sawyer Grocery, and enjoyed working there over the years with Ted. Ted and Debbie were happily married for 33 years, until her death in 2023.

Debbie absolutely loved spending time with her family. She always had dice or cards around and seemed to pull a victory out of thin air no matter the game. She’d always say, “You have to play big to win big!” Debbie also enjoyed cooking, singing, and dancing. (Anything to do with music really). She was often the life of the party and made sure everyone around her was having a good time. Debbie is survived by her husband Ted; her five children and their spouses; grandchildren Brian, Jefferey, Whitney, Jacob, Derek, Jason, Riley, Reagan, James, Wilder, Reese, and Della; great-grandchildren Lucy, Weston, Camryn, and Charlie; sister Shelly; and brothers Keith, Brian, and Michael. She is predeceased by her first husband, Mike; her parents; and her her brother, Walt.

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