Deborah Burgess

Deborah Howser Burgess, 60, of Colonial Heights, passed away on Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at St. Mary's Hospital. Deb was a loving and compassionate mother, daughter, sister and friend. She demonstrated incredible courage and strength in fighting her illness this past year. She was a lifelong educator having been a Physical Education Teacher since 1976 in Hampton, Poquoson, Albemarle, Dinwiddie and Colonial Heights Schools. She is survived by her son, Trae Burgess of Henrico; her daughter, Crystal Burgess and Keith Morehead of Mechanicsville; father of her children, Charlie Burgess of North Carolina; her parents, Robert & Edith Howser of Leesburg; three sisters, Connie Stevens of Leesburg, Wendy Jones and husband, Bill of Leesburg, and Tammy Carpenter and husband, Daniel of Bluemont; nieces, nephews and her best friend, Richard Routten of Hampton. A special "thank you" to the CCU at St. Mary's Hospital, Oncologist Dr. Steven Duffy, and Nurse Practitioner Megan Cannon for their passionate and loving care. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 2, 2014 at the Colonial Heights Chapel of the E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes & Crematory, 2033 Boulevard. Interment will be private. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, August 1, 2014 at the funeral home. Condolences may be registered at www.ealvinsmall.com.