Deborah Robert

Deborah Ann Robert, 69, of Champaign, passed away on Tuesday, June 9th, 2026 in her home.

Deborah was born on July 30, 1956 at Southtown Hospital in Chicago, the eldest daughter of Thomas and Madeline (McCabe) Crane.

Deborah is survived by her children Timothy and Jennifer; grandson Liam; mother Madeline; sister, Lisa; and brother, Patrick.  She was preceded in death by her father Thomas.

A lifelong learner and teacher, Deborah started her education at St. Mary of the Assumption in Chicago and graduated from T.F. North High School in Calumet City in 1974. She started her career working as a lab assistant, then as a loan officer and notary for the University of Chicago. She paused her career to raise her children and instill in them her Catholic faith, values, and compassion for others. Deborah returned to school in 2004 after discovering her passion for Dentistry and Dental Hygiene. She attended Parkland College and attained her Associate in Science Degree and Registered Dental Hygienist Certification in 2007.  She worked as a Dental Hygienist and Certified Nursing Assistant until her retirement in 2020.

Active in her local Catholic parish throughout her life, in retirement, Deborah shared her time and talents by volunteering as a Eucharistic Minister and 2nd Grade Catechist at St. Patrick's Church.  Deborah taught herself to knit and crochet as a teenager and lent these skills to the Mitten Tree and Prayer Shawl programs.  She cherished time with her grandson, and quiet evenings with her cat, Oscar, reading library books and sipping a warm cup of coffee.

Visitation will be held at 9:00 am, with a funeral Mass at 10:00 am, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Urbana. Ennichement will immediately follow at St. Mary's Cemetery, Champaign. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Deborah's honor to the Champaign County Humane Society.

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