Born in Omaha, NE, Deb was educated  at Sacred Heart and St. James  Elementary Schools; and Omaha Marian  and Omaha Northwest High Schools. Following high school, Deb earned a Bachelor of Science from Kearney State College , and was later awarded a Master in Library Science from University of Michigan. Following college, Deb worked as a journalist in Beatrice, NE and Holland, MI before becoming the Library Director in Saugatuck, MI, a quaint city on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Afterward, and following her Master degree, Deb was the Assistant Program Director for St. Catherine University's Master in Library and Information Science Program in St. Paul, MN. She came on board as Assistant Professor specializing in archives and later took on new responsibilities as Assistant Program Director before retiring in 2020. 

Deb was instrumental in helping build the master's program from its beginnings as a collaboration with Dominican University to its independence as an ALA-accredited program in 2010.

Deb was the face and heart of the program in so many ways. She was a great connector of people. She advised and supported students from the time they walked in the door to graduation. Her network of colleagues, alums, and friends extended across St. Kate's to local and national professional organizations. She was especially active in the Society of American Archivists.

Deb was a champion of women's rights and the oppressed. She cheered for the underdog and greatly enjoyed all kinds of sports, the Minnesota Lynx. Deb was an accomplished photographer and loved the outdoors, never failing to go for a daily walk despite the harshest Minnesota weather conditions. Her family and friends will never forget her loving and caring demeanor. 

Deb is survived by her parents, Emil (Sr.) and Ruth Torres; sisters, Connie Manzer (Jerry), and Jane; brothers Emil Jr. (Dixie), Russell (Teresa), Robert and James; many nieces and nephews; and her beloved feline companion, Maya.

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