Deborah Green — a Staples High School special education teacher for over 30 years, who in retirement continued making an impact through volunteer efforts with the Mercy Learning Center and A Better Chance of Westport — died Friday, after a brief illness. She was 84.
A 1959 graduate of White Plains High School in 1959, and Mt. Holyoke College in 1963, she later earned a master’s in education from New York University, and a certificate in special education from Fairfield University.
Deborah began her professional career as an editor in the Psychology Department at the National Institute of Health in Washington. After relocating to Westport, she married Edwin Green.
She began her teaching career at Vitam in Norwalk, working with students with substance abuse issues. She then moved to Staples, teaching special education for over 3 decades.
Deborah Green
Deborah’s post-retirement volunteer work at Mercy Learning Center in Bridgeport included teaching immigrant women studying for their GEDs.
She was also very proud of her work with A Better Chance of Westport, which provides educational opportunities to academically gifted and highly motivated young men of color, as well as Norwalk Grassroots Tennis and Education, a non-profit organization that provides tennis and academic support to underserved youth.
Her obituary calls Deborah “caring, adventurous, thoughtful, liberal, supportive, and generous. She truly immersed herself in the community of Westport, fostering many wonderful friendships through her participation in tennis, book clubs, knitting circles and volunteering.”
She was a frequent patron of the arts, spending free time at Lincoln Center to watch orchestra, opera and ballet performances, and at art museums.
She is survived by her husband of 15 years, Lawrence Hirsch; daughter Katherine (Paul) Curtin of Rowayton; step-son, William (Linda) Green of Telluride, Colorado; step-daughter Theresa (Ettore) Cosentini of Uzzano, Italy; grandchildren Emma, Julia, Quinn, Tessa, Amelia, Sophia and Matteo, and step-grandchildren Anna, Henry, and Jillian.
She is also survived by Lawrence’s children: Neil (Molly) Hisch of Ridgefield, and Michelle (John) Arnold of Noank.
She was predeceased by her brothers, Steven Gross and Jeffrey Gross, her husband Edwin Green, and granddaughter Annie Curtin.
A celebration of life will be held at Abraham L. Green & Son Funeral Home in Fairfield, on Friday, May 15 at 11:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, 345 Whitney Ave. New Haven, CT 06511; Mercy Learning Center, 637 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT, 06604, or Connecticut Public Broadcasting, 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105.
