Deborah “Debbie” A. Cibelli, 61, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 after a courageous battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her loved ones. Debbie was the daughter of the late Alphonse Cibelli and Edith Brophy.
Debbie attended Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in Middletown and completed her Master’s degree at the Yale School of Nursing in New Haven. Debbie enjoyed a fulfilling 35-year career as a Certified Nurse Midwife.
Debbie was a pioneer in her field who advanced nurse-midwifery in the New Haven community. She was the co-founder of Women’s Health Associates, LLC, Connecticut’s first private midwifery practice, with offices in North Branford and New Haven. She was respected for her clinical wisdom, her mentoring, and her dedication to quality care for all. Aside from her passion for her work, Debbie loved traveling, learning about different cultures, and seeing the world through art. She was also known to appreciate a nice piece of chocolate.
She is survived by her life partner, Helen Lope de Haro, MD of North Branford; her aunt, Anna Cibelli of Waterbury; her uncles, Domenic (Mickey) of Lexington, S.C. and Arthur Jones of Wolcott; and her cousins Heather Jones of Wolcott, Domenic (Mickey) Cibelli of Wolcott, and Jennifer Cibelli of South Carolina.
She was predeceased by her parents and her aunt, Phyllis Jones.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders, an international medical humanitarian organization, on behalf of Deborah A. Cibelli.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Debbie caught all three of my babies. She made me feel safe and cared for during my pregnancies. She was one of my first friends in New Haven 35 years ago. We went to craft fairs, laughed at our dogs, knitted, looked for lost things, preferred dresses with pockets and gave epic semi-annual parties where the floor threatened to cave in during Disco Inferno. When I tried to change my name, she laughed at me and said "Fat chance!" She delivered countless babies and drove through red lights to get to the hospital while waving a white flag out of the car window, convinced that would deter the police. She was smart and funny and loyal and I will miss her deeply.
Liz Hess (Isa)