Deborah Kim Dragoni

November 26, 1955 - July 7, 2016

Deborah Kim Dragoni (Mieth) passed away on Thursday, July 7 at the age of 60 after a seven year recurring battle with cancer. She was initially diagnosed in 2008 and survived in remission for nearly seven years until the disease resurfaced in late 2015 and metastasized until she passed away last week. Her legacy lives on in surviving sons, Michael Rubio, with his wife Schöne and daughter Eden Rubio; David Rubio, with his wife Rachel and daughters Bianca Rubio and Ava Rubio as well as Baby Girl Rubio; siblings Donna Blake, and her husband Stephen; Colleen Stone Williams & her husband Bart; and Ashley Stone, all in the Houston area; Ivan Mieth of Stephenville, Texas; and Denise Mieth Arechiga & her husband Fred, of San Antonio, Texas; her mother Shirley Stone and stepfather Keith Stone, also of Houston, TX, as well as multiple nieces and nephews. Deborah Mieth was born on November 26, 1955 in Kenedy, Texas, and had the opportunity to travel across the state of Texas and enjoyed residencies in Maryland and Hawaii as the daughter of a military colonel and professional hairdresser. She adopted a spirit of adaptability and welcomed change as she had to move frequently, but with that also came a strong work ethic that persisted from an early age. She began what would be a varied, more than 30 years of retail experience, working at Sav-On Drug Stores almost immediately after graduating high school. She also worked with Walgreens, Sam’s, and Wal-Mart as well as Garden Ridge, Cashway, and Marshalls for multiple years in each location, always focused on the needs of the workplace and balancing those with family. Her career also featured distinctions as a Texas State Licensed hairdresser as well as Pharmacy Technician Certification. For multiple years, she held two jobs at one time and cared for her children after giving birth to twin sons at the age of 28, yet made it a point to attend PTA Meetings, Parent Nights, and even worked as a playground supervisor at her children’s elementary school for a time. She also maintained a commitment to family beyond the household, maintaining close relationships with her siblings and other family despite the distance between Houston and El Paso, as she drove her boys across the state just to visit family during holidays and summers when possible. When her sons reached age 16, she ambitiously moved the three-person household to Houston to be closer to the family. She later became a caregiver to David’s daughters for nearly a year, while he and his wife were both working. Before her passing, she also ascended to the level of In-Store Demonstration Supervisor and taught others both her passion for the retail world and spirit of customer service. Deborah’s family will reflect on her life and pay tribute to her memory in a service to take place Saturday, July 16, 2016 at the Dettling Funeral Home, 14094 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079. Visitation will take place from 11 A.M. - 1 P.M. and the service will take place from 1-2 P.M., with a reception to follow.