Deborah Ann Del Ciello

Deborah (Debby, Deb) Ann Del Ciello (nee Whitty), age 75, of Madison, Wisconsin passed away on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at the home of her son, Anthony Del Ciello. She was born on July 16, 1949, in Marshalltown, Iowa, the daughter of Francis (Mike) and Helen Whitty. She married Ronald Del Ciello on July 18, 1978, in Chicago, Illinois. They divorced in 2002 and Deb was friendly with Ron and his wife, Jane.

Deb graduated from Eagle Grove High School in Eagle Grove, Iowa as part of the class of 1966. In 1968, she earned an Associate degree at Iowa Central Community College and transferred to the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Education in 1970. At the University of Iowa, Deb served terms as the president of Pi Omega Pi, a national honor society for business education, and Phi Beta Lambda, an organization that prepares college students for careers in business. Deb also completed some graduate-level coursework in Religious Studies at Edgewood College between 1996 and 2002.

Deb moved to Chicago after college and worked as a Secretarial Supervisor and Executive Development Program Administrator for Tatham-Laird & Kudner Advertising. After working in that field for a while, she was called to a greater role in the Catholic Church. She became administrative assistant to Fr. Robert Oldershaw, who was the founding director of the Office for Divine Worship (ODW) for the Archdiocese of Chicago. This was the start of a long and fruitful career with the Church. In 1984, Deb and Ron moved to Janesville, Wisconsin. Deb was a full-time homemaker for a while, even teaching a class at the local YWCA on “Homemaking as a Career Choice.” When her children were in grade school, she began part-time work as the Director of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) for the four Catholic parishes in Janesville. Even after holding this position, Deb continued to work as a diocesan presenter and consultant out of the Office of Worship and the Office of Religious Education. She touched many lives with this work and made life-long friends. Deb was always involved in her community; while in Janesville, she helped found the Janesville Talented and Gifted Association (J-TAG), a school district-wide parent/teacher organization supporting talented and gifted education as well as an associated endowment fund to support students and teachers attending training and summer programs, served as chair of the Janesville School District strategic planning steering committee, and was appointed to the University of Wisconsin Rock County Foundation Board, serving as both board vice president and president. Deb also held positions with both the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth (WCATY) and the Midwest Academic Talent Search at the Center for Talent Development (CTD) at Northwestern University.

Deb is survived by her loving children, Katherine (Katie" Burda (nee Del Ciello) of Chicago, Illinois and Anthony Del Ciello of Madison, Wisconsin as well as her son-in-law Bryan Burda, daughter-in-law Loren Eadie, and her beloved grandchildren Dean and Robin Del Ciello and Claire Burda. She is also survived by her nephew Paul Whitty and his wife Cassie Whitty, and her nephew Mike Whitty, his partner Breanna, and their son Wesson. She is preceded in death by her parents Francis (Mike) and Helen Whitty, and her brother and sister-in-law, Dennis and Ann Whitty.

There will be a visitation at Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, Wisconsin on Monday, March 17 from 5:00 to 7:00pm Central. The funeral will be at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish, 602 Everglade Drive, Madison, Wisconsin at 11:00am Central. Friends may greet the family from 10:00 AM until the time of Mass at church on Tuesday. A luncheon reception will follow in the church fellowship hall. The family will hold a private burial for Deb where her parents are laid to rest in Clarion, Iowa.

“Where there is sorrow, there is holy ground.” – Oscar Wilde

“Now take back the soul of Deborah Del Ciello whom you have shared with us.

She brought us joy . . . we loved her well.

She was not ours.” – adapted from Isak Dinesen

Please share your memories of Deb by posting in her Guestbook.

Cress Funeral Service

3610 Speedway Road, Madison

(608) 238-3434