Dorothy “Debbie” Robertson Christie
Dorothy “Debbie” Robertson Christie, 76 -- a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend -- passed away unexpectedly on Friday, June 2nd, 2023, at her home in Stuart, FL. Debbie was born on April 15th, 1947, in Glen Ridge, NJ. She was the youngest of four children and the only daughter of the late Beverly Wilson and Dorothy Baird (Turner) Robertson. She joins her late brother, Bill Robertson, and is survived by her brothers, John and Tom Robertson, her husband of 30 years, Robert “Bob” Christie and their children, Lindsey, Brady and Robyn and their grandchildren, Piper (17), Jack (16), Lauren (13), Delaney (13), Zachary (12) and Noah (8).
Debbie grew up in Short Hills and Bay Head, NJ. She was a graduate of Kent Place in Summit, NJ, and Bennett College in Millbrook, NY. She lived in New York City before marrying and moving to Marblehead and later Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA where she lived for 20 years and raised her children, Lindsey and Brady. She met Bob Christie and his daughter, Robyn, in 1989. They wed in 1993 in Rye, NY where she lived for 15 years before moving to Stuart, Florida in 2008. In the late 1990s, when Debbie was close to 50-years-old, she decided to return to academia and earned her degree in nursing. She was a nurse at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, CT and later a school nurse at Rippowam Cisqua School in Bedford NY. An avid reader, runner, cyclist, tennis player, champion 9-holer, crossword puzzle/wordle junkie and lover of animals and alternative music, Debbie was the most hip, fit and well-read 76-year-old woman around and everyone sincerely enjoyed her company.
As a young woman, Debbie wrote a series of notes to herself, such as ‘Love is so important in everything. Display this always to your children. Let them learn by themselves through your guidance. Don’t bug them or embarrass them in front of others. Let them have their friends over. Take time to spend with them -- nothing is more important (i.e.: getting somewhere on time). Don’t rush them. Be a good grandmother -- don’t be impatient or say, “let the grown-ups talk”. Be attentive and indulgent. Have children and grandchildren visit and have fun with them. Keep active, travel, enjoy each other and grow old together.’ Debbie was the embodiment of these words. She will be remembered for treating everyone with kindness and dignity and for the great love she gave to us all. A firm believer in angels, Debbie has earned her wings and her warmth will forever wrap itself around us.
In a private ceremony, Debbie’s ashes will be spread in Kettle Cove in
Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. There will be a celebration of her life at Essex County Club in Manchester-by-the-Sea on August 15th, 2023, and at Willoughby Golf Club in Stuart, FL on Nov. 6th, 2023. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Willoughby Foundation or the MPN Research Foundation whose mission is to provide research and eventually a cure for polycythemia vera, a rare condition that Debbie lived with for many years.
