Debra Ann Ennis

Debra Ann Ennis left the world and our family much too soon at the age of 67 on 7/12/22. She is desperately missed by her beloved husband of 43 years William Ennis, her daughter Morgan Ennis,  her son-in-law Sebastian Andres and her favorite grandson Thayer Andres. She is also survived by her sisters Jeanne, Michele, and Kerry, her brother Tommy, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

She was the daughter of a police officer and a stay-at-home mom and was the middle child of 7. She married Bill Ennis on Christmas Eve in 1978 in an airplane flying around the Statue of Liberty and they lived an adventurous life together after he joined the Air Force.

Originally from New York, Debra traveled the world with Bill and lived in many different places over the years including Del Rio, Texas; Alamogordo, New Mexico; Homestead Florida; Merced, California; Rome, New York; Holbrook, New York; Singapore; and Darnestown, Maryland. She finally got to retire near the beach in warm, sunny Bluffton, South Carolina.

She made it two years into her ten year plan for enjoying every moment of retirement before the pandemic hit and another two years before she got the dreaded cancer diagnosis. The cancer took her in only four and a half months. She wasn’t particularly mad about the diagnosis, but she was mad about only getting two great years of fun in retirement. This was not the plan.

Debra had a number of simple passions that brought her great joy. She never forgot her modest upbringing and relentlessly used sale flyers and coupons whenever she could. The check-out ladies at Lord & Taylor routinely laughed about the money she saved over the years. As a family we joked that her move to South Carolina would put Lord & Taylor out of business as she was their best customer. And then they actually did go out of business! We should have known something was wrong when she bought both a Lexus AND a Louis Vuitton purse without a coupon a few months before her diagnosis.

She was exceptionally generous and had a strong sense of fairness. When anyone needed anything, she was always there to help. Do you need a camera, groceries, a plane ticket or a prom dress? Debra immediately wrote a check (she was old school - no Venmo for her) or bought it (on sale) and mailed it to you. She never wanted the people she loved to ever do without or miss an opportunity in life if it was something she could fix.

She was a tough New Yorker who couldn’t start her day without a good strong cup of coffee, a cigarette, and liking everyone’s Facebook photos and updates. She was fiercely loyal and protective of her close family and friends. Her door was always open and she couldn’t help giving advice even if you didn’t need any. She had an innate sense for accurately reading people (the good and the bad.) She loved a good happy hour sipping a glass of Kendall Jackson Chardonnay sitting on the Lido deck of a Caribbean cruise ship, on the hotel patio beside the Borghese Gallery & Museum in Rome, on the beach at Hayman Island in Australia or on any sidewalk cafe in Paris watching the world go by. She was an amazing cook, but she loved getting a reservation even more to her favorite Italian restaurants. She was fierce and feisty, and she unapologetically lived life on her terms to the end. And she was chronically late to absolutely everything. Except for her death which came much too soon.

She loved her family more than anything and left this world surrounded by love. No amount of time would have been enough for her friends and family. We miss her dearly every day.

In lieu of flowers, and in her honor, we request that you pay it forward, whether it’s a family member or a complete stranger. Leave an extra awesome tip, go visit your grandma to give her a hug, or buy someone a treat that will make them smile. Just make sure you get it on sale.