Obituary of Deborah D. Ruggles

Deborah D. Ruggles October 30, 1966 - June 16, 2024 Deborah D. Ruggles passed away after a courageous battle with cancer, with her daughter by her side on Sunday, June 16, 2024. Debbie was predeceased by her parents, Donald and Mary E. Dickinson. She is survived by her fiancé, Jay Kaufman; daughters, Elizabeth (Anthony) Copella and America Kaufman; granddaughters, Storm and Reagan Copella; 8 siblings, Florrie (Jack Mahan) Lodico, Dawn Braren, Donn (Wendy) Dickinson, Desiree (Jim) Lee, Duane (Mary) Dickinson, Charla (Will) Yarger, Rich (Gayle) Dickinson, and Francis (Jenny) Dickinson; many nieces and nephews; and an extraordinary amount of friends and extended family. If you met Debbie, you were instantly a part of her world. Debbie was born in Syracuse and raised in Canandaigua. She was the eighth child and the youngest girl. She enjoyed growing up in a large family and had an amazing relationship with each of her siblings. She attended Canandaigua Academy where she met Jay (her first true love) and graduated in 1984 from Canandaigua Academy. Debbie and Jay went their separate ways and started their lives. After high school, Debbie worked for Papa Franks, and shortly thereafter, Elizabeth was born. For many years, she also worked for Tenax Town Dry Cleaners. Just over 19 years ago, Debbie and Jay reunited and started a new life together, raising their daughter, America. In 2008, Debbie accepted a job at Thompson Hospital and eventually the Breast Imaging Center where she worked for the last 5 years. What Debbie was most memorably known for was her genuine kindness and love for her family. Debbie was the kind of person who cared deeply for those around her. Her kind heart was unmatched in this world and everyone who met her, instantly loved her too. She had a love of Canandaigua Lake and enjoyed spending evenings there having a picnic or skipping rocks with her family. She also enjoyed fishing with her fiancé and brothers. Debbie enjoyed family vacations with her entire family too and some of her favorite memories are at the beach surrounded by those she loved most. Her last vacation was with her whole family in Myrtle Beach last August where she enjoyed roasting marshmallows on the beach, sitting in the sand and even watching a hurricane pass by! Her greatest joy was seeing those around her happy. Debbie fought a courageous battle with breast cancer and against all odds, every step of the way, was determined to keep fighting. When doctors had lost hope, she never did and continued to prove them wrong, time and time again. Her hope for the future and resilience to fight was unwavering and through it all, Debbie kept a smile on her face, one that every person she met in the hospital came to know her by. In honor of that smile and her passion for others, remember to always #bekind and #belikedebbie. Friends may call on Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM at Fuller Funeral Home, 190 Buffalo St. Canandaigua, NY. A 3:00 PM Memorial Service will follow at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the family via GoFundMe or directly, to help with final expenses and/or the future of her children/grandchildren. Future plans to set up a foundation in her honor are pending. To share a memory or express condolences online, please visit fullerfh.com.