Debra Kogan Lyda's Obituary
LYDADebra Kogan, 49, passed away August 1, 2012 in Birmingham, AL, after a courageous four-year battle against ovarian cancer. Debbie, who was born and grew up in Miami, was a beautiful, caring and loving woman, who gave to life all she could. She was fiercely independent and fiercely funny. From early childhood, she touched the heart and funny bone of everyone she met.She would walk into a room and fill it with sunshine with her infectious laughter, her love of life, and her sweet appreciation of irony. She held her passion in both hands and offered it willingly to the world and we all happily accepted it. She was the inspiration of the successful greeting card line, “That’s All,” created by her sister, Karen, to help finance ovarian cancer research. Debbie was a graduate of Coral Park High School, where she was a cheerleader. She was an outstanding athlete. She ran track, played basketball and softball, and won several Presidential Fitness Awards. During her high school years, she was a counselor at UAHC Camp Coleman. She was a participant in the High School in Israel program. She earned a bachelor of science from the University of Alabama with a major in human growth and development. She was a member of Sigma Delta Tau sorority and involved in many campus extracurricular activities. After graduation, she was a probation officer in Miami, before moving to Birmingham, AL. There she worked as a sales manager for several industrial management companies, before she started her own consulting firm, Business Solutions Management. She also served as assistant to the president of Long-Lewis-Ford, the largest Ford truck agency in Birmingham. She leaves a legacy of community and business activities and served as vice president of the local chapter of Kiwanis International. Debbie was the ultimate football and ice hockey mom, providing taxi service, support and inspiration to her beloved son and the love of her life, Nolan Lyda, who survives her. She is also survived by her loving parents, Gerald and Irene Kogan. Her father is a former Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court. She is mourned by her adoring sister, Karen Kogan Rosenzweig (Marc) of West Bloomfield, MI, her loving brother, Robert Kogan (Diana) of Scottsdale, AZ, cherished nephews, Jeremy and Adam Kogan and Jacob and Sam Rosenzweig. The family sincerely thanks oncologist, Dr. Warner Huh of the University of Alabama-Birmingham and the Hospice of Birmingham for their compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donation to The Debbie Kogan Lyda Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1530-3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294 or a charity of your choice. A celebration of Debbie’s life will be held later this month in Birmingham, AL. Services will be held Sunday, August 5th at 11:00 a.m. at Temple Judea, 5500 Granada Blvd., Coral Gables.BLASBERG-RUBIN-ZILBERT (305) 865-2353
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