Obituary for Deborah Diane Alvey
Deb was born December 5, 1978, and she went to walk with the Lord on Monday, February 7, 2022. She grew up in Charles County where she attended Lackey High School. Deb also attended the College of Southern Maryland where she received an associate degree in Computer Science. She moved to Washington County in 2018 and remained a resident of Hagerstown until her passing.
Deb relocated to Hagerstown where she was enrolled at Lasting Change Women’s Recovery Program to overcome her drug addiction. She thrived in treatment due to her deep commitment to herself, her children, and her own recovery going on to become a role model and mentor for others seeking to overcome addictions. Deb gave many hours and her heart and soul to helping others on their path to recovery. Deb had tenacity and courage to move forward with a deep appreciation of life’s simple things, taking time to appreciate the beauty in life and to stop to smell the flowers – with lilies and pink flowers being her favorites. When Deb received her diagnosis of terminal cancer on February 17, 2021, she stated, “I will not die an addict” and she started working on her “bucket list” with her dear friend, Cinda. Their travels included a trip to Puerto Rico, New York City, and a fling to Rocky Gap Casino. Her son Jaylin remembers spending birthdays at the beach in Calvert County and the cheesecakes that his mother baked for birthdays.
While still in recovery, Deb started working for Gatekeepers, a reentry program. Simultaneously, she enrolled in Horizon Goodwill’s Career Readiness Program and Hagerstown Community College’s Work Keys Program where she excelled to the point that she was hired by Goodwill, working full-time as an assistant manager. Deb attended many meetings in her recovery and eventually became a peer recovery specialist. Until her death, Deb was a valued employee at Awakenings Recovery Program where she worked as a Lead Behavioral Health Technician and devoted many hours counseling as a peer recovery specialist.
Deb received chemo at Johns Hopkins, saying that the treatment was top-notch and that she never felt as though she was treated like an addict. She persevered through cancer treatment surrounded by family and friends and guided by her abiding faith. Deb continued working on her own recovery from drug addiction with ongoing support from close friends, NA meetings, and the Hub City Vineyard Church family.
Deb is survived by her children, Jaylin Mooney of Charles County; McKenzie Osborn of Calvert County; Angelina Gidoni of Charles County; and her mother, Deborah Wedding of Charles County, MD; father, Jerry Alvey of Preston, MD; her sisters Terry Lynn Ayers of VA and Anna Marie Haley of Charles Co., MD; half sister Carol Ann Alvey Boyce of Greenwood, DE; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Deb was preceded in death by a daughter, Marisa Diane Nash; grandfather, Fred Wilbur Wedding, Sr.; Grandparents, Nettie Marie and Sam Aiello; uncle, Tyler Wedding; and half brother, Jarrett J. Alvey, II.
Deb gave selflessly to others and her contribution to the community at large will be sorely missed. Near the end of her life, she wrote that love, loyalty, and respect are values you cannot put a price on. Her love and inspiration live on, leaving an imprint on us and this world.
Deb was surrounded by her family and her dear friend, Cinda, as she passed from this world. The funeral will be held Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 4:00 pm at Harman Funeral Home, 305 N. Potomac Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Donations may be made to Doey’s House C/O Hospice of Washington County, 11370 Caring Pathway Lane, Hagerstown, MD 21742.
Deb relocated to Hagerstown where she was enrolled at Lasting Change Women’s Recovery Program to overcome her drug addiction. She thrived in treatment due to her deep commitment to herself, her children, and her own recovery going on to become a role model and mentor for others seeking to overcome addictions. Deb gave many hours and her heart and soul to helping others on their path to recovery. Deb had tenacity and courage to move forward with a deep appreciation of life’s simple things, taking time to appreciate the beauty in life and to stop to smell the flowers – with lilies and pink flowers being her favorites. When Deb received her diagnosis of terminal cancer on February 17, 2021, she stated, “I will not die an addict” and she started working on her “bucket list” with her dear friend, Cinda. Their travels included a trip to Puerto Rico, New York City, and a fling to Rocky Gap Casino. Her son Jaylin remembers spending birthdays at the beach in Calvert County and the cheesecakes that his mother baked for birthdays.
While still in recovery, Deb started working for Gatekeepers, a reentry program. Simultaneously, she enrolled in Horizon Goodwill’s Career Readiness Program and Hagerstown Community College’s Work Keys Program where she excelled to the point that she was hired by Goodwill, working full-time as an assistant manager. Deb attended many meetings in her recovery and eventually became a peer recovery specialist. Until her death, Deb was a valued employee at Awakenings Recovery Program where she worked as a Lead Behavioral Health Technician and devoted many hours counseling as a peer recovery specialist.
Deb received chemo at Johns Hopkins, saying that the treatment was top-notch and that she never felt as though she was treated like an addict. She persevered through cancer treatment surrounded by family and friends and guided by her abiding faith. Deb continued working on her own recovery from drug addiction with ongoing support from close friends, NA meetings, and the Hub City Vineyard Church family.
Deb is survived by her children, Jaylin Mooney of Charles County; McKenzie Osborn of Calvert County; Angelina Gidoni of Charles County; and her mother, Deborah Wedding of Charles County, MD; father, Jerry Alvey of Preston, MD; her sisters Terry Lynn Ayers of VA and Anna Marie Haley of Charles Co., MD; half sister Carol Ann Alvey Boyce of Greenwood, DE; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Deb was preceded in death by a daughter, Marisa Diane Nash; grandfather, Fred Wilbur Wedding, Sr.; Grandparents, Nettie Marie and Sam Aiello; uncle, Tyler Wedding; and half brother, Jarrett J. Alvey, II.
Deb gave selflessly to others and her contribution to the community at large will be sorely missed. Near the end of her life, she wrote that love, loyalty, and respect are values you cannot put a price on. Her love and inspiration live on, leaving an imprint on us and this world.
Deb was surrounded by her family and her dear friend, Cinda, as she passed from this world. The funeral will be held Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 4:00 pm at Harman Funeral Home, 305 N. Potomac Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740. Donations may be made to Doey’s House C/O Hospice of Washington County, 11370 Caring Pathway Lane, Hagerstown, MD 21742.