A fierce advocate for local charities, community volunteer and fundraiser Debi Stacy Feiler has died at the age of 68 after a long illness.
“Debi came into this world as a beautiful light and left in the same way,” said Mary Lee Robinson, her sister and the executive director of TAG Ranch & Foundation. “Her imprint on others and the community was indelible and lasting. Her passion for family, friends, and the community is palpable. Her loyalty runs deep. Her smile could light up a room, and she will forever live on in our hearts.”
Feiler was a marketing maven who worked behind the scenes to coordinate local blockbuster fundraising events such as the George Snow Scholarship Foundation’s Cowboy Ball and Boca’s Ballroom Battle; she was the fund’s vice president of program services.
In a statement, the nonprofit said, “For over a decade, Debi dedicated herself to our mission, working to ensure that young people in our community had access to the educational opportunities they deserved. Her passion and commitment left an indelible mark not only on our organization but on the countless lives she helped shape. Her legacy will live on in the students she helped and the futures she made brighter.”
Terry Fedele met Feiler through Boca’s Ballroom Battle, which she eventually convinced her to participate in. Later, Fedele was able to invite her new friend to join the advisory board for Florida Atlantic University’s Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center.
“She was an outstanding board member,” Fedele said. “We do the yearly walk and she came with so many new ideas to help to grow that walk and put a different twist on it.”
On a personal level, Fedele also remembers how Feiler helped her throw a virtual baby sprinkler for her daughter during COVID, going as far as coming to her house the day of to make sure everything went perfectly.
As the director of philanthropy for the Junior League of Boca Raton, Feiler focused her efforts on its signature event, the Woman Volunteer of the Year luncheon. Last year, she was named the director of philanthropy for the Diaper Bank.
“We are so saddened by the loss of Debi Feiler, who was such a positive force in our community,” the Junior League of Boca Raton said in a statement. “She was so committed to supporting local non-profits and she will be greatly missed.”
Robin Deyo also met Feiler through Boca’s Ballroom Battle, but their friendship grew as they connected through the Junior League of Boca Raton and the Diaper Bank. Even as she dealt with her illness, she didn’t let it stop her from being a part of the community.
“Purpose is important and it gave her purpose, it gave her something to work for. Coming out of COVID, member organizations like Junior League were pretty much whacked and they needed a reboot, and she did a great job, like record-breaking,” Deyo says. “Everybody has peaks and valleys but you never knew it with Debi. She always had a great disposition, a good outlook on life, she was so comforting and helpful … I was fortunate she called me a friend.”
Feiler served on the board of the TAG Ranch & Foundation; she was the 2022 chairwoman for Florida Atlantic University’s Keep Memories Alive Walk, benefiting the university’s Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center; and she was also a co-chair for the local Relay for Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society in 2023.
“If she could help another person in any way shape or form, she always stepped up to the plate to do that,” Fedele said. “She loved this community, she loved the people here, and truthfully I can say she gave her all. Unfortunately, she was taken from us much too soon.”
Memorial donations can be made in Debi Feiler’s honor to the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center at FAU, Relay for Life benefitting the American Cancer Society, and TAG Ranch & Foundation.
