LIVE Mass! from St. John Vianney Parish on Vimeo .

Deborah L. Engels, 60, of Cumberland, passed away unexpectedly Monday, April 3, 2023. She was the beloved wife of John Engels. They were happily married for 37 years. Born in Mankato, Minnesota, she was the daughter of Pete Puskedra and the late Joan (Gillie) Puskedra. Deborah was an educator working for the last fifteen years for the West Bay Collaborative in Warwick. She was also the Cumberland Girls Basketball coach for sixteen years before retiring in 2015. She was a very competitive person, playing in women's softball and basketball leagues.

What Deborah loved most was the time she spent with her family, especially walking Violet and Rhett with Kaitlan, weekends in Newport, and most importantly her Tuesday play dates with Lexi. She also loved the week at the beach house, going to concerts, boating in New Hampshire, and the ladies weekend on the hill. Deborah was a mentor and leader to many, from coaching youth sports teams at the Boys and Girls Club, to high school basketball and summer camps. She had so many student players that stayed in touch with her, as professionals and mothers themselves.

Besides her husband and father, she is survived by her children, Joshua Engels and Kaitlan Engels Rose, and her husband Joseph Rose, and her granddaughter, Lexi Marie Rose. She also leaves two sisters, Teresa Gens and Carole Puskedra.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, April 15th at 10:00 AM in Saint John Vianney Church, 3609 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Cumberland.

Visiting hours are on Friday, April 14th from 3:00-7:00 PM in the O'Neill Funeral Home, 3102 Mendon Road, Cumberland.

In lieu of flowers, donations to RI Pink Heals , PO BOX 267, West Warwick, RI 02893, in memory of Deborah would be greatly appreciated.

Deborah's Mass of Christian Burial will be video live streamed and available to view right here , or from this obituary page above, on Saturday April 15th at 10:00 AM.