February 12th, 1955 – April 14th, 2021
Debra Petrocchi passed peacefully on April 14th, 2021, at her home in Healdsburg, CA. At her bedside were family and close friends. She is survived by her husband, Chuck Heaney, her two sons, Adam Cauayani and Forrest Timonere, and her grandchildren, Jerrolyn Cauayani and Jerrod Cauayani.
Debbie, as she preferred to be called, was born in San Francisco and raised the City’s Sunset District. Through the years she had an unusual variety of jobs. She was a key employee of the famous Lefty O’Douls bar and restaurant, she was an actual Car Repo person in Oakland CA, and at different times she was a proprietor of two restaurants in San Francisco. Ultimately, before her retirement, Debbie was a most successful impact player in the insurance industry for well over 20 years.
Before retiring and moving to Sonoma County, Debbie lived in Montara, CA, a coastal town between San Francisco and Half Moon Bay. There she hosted many get-togethers, birthday and holiday parties, and “just because” parties, which became known as “soirees.” These parties and soirees, because of Debbie’s generosity, involved plenty of food and drink and entertainment. Many of Debbie’s friends were talented artists, therefore live music was always part of the festivities. Everyone at these parties had a great and memorable time. They also were treated by the beautiful décor and furnishings of the house and the sight of Debbie’s lush garden.
Debbie was passionate about decorating her house. Many have said she could have been a professional design consultant. All visitors at her home would be impressed. She enjoyed her surroundings that she conceived and planned herself. In her Healdsburg house, she redesigned the floor plan and then followed up with the entire décor including paint, rugs, curtains, drapes, furniture, lighting, art, etc. As for her garden, Debbie employed the same effort of imagination, conception and follow through as she did with her house. The result was a comfortable, complete, and cozy domicile for herself and her felines, which she cared for and loved, Stella and Stanley.
Anyone who met Debbie for the first time was impressed by her. She conversed intelligently with warmth and interest. She would focus on the person she was speaking with as well as the subject matter. People liked her right away. She would be kind, considerate and the conversation would never be about her. But Debbie would never be a pushover or be ramrodded. People sensed that, even though Debbie exhibited a genuine friendly and warmhearted manner, she was somebody who should be treated with honesty and respect.
Debbie will be missed by all who knew her. There now surely will be an emptiness in their lives without her. But knowing her and having been a friend of hers is indeed a treasure. Those who have never met Debbie, certainly missed out, didn’t they?
