Deborah Law
Deborah Gillette Law, 79, of Sun Valley and Boise, Idaho, died peacefully at 2:20AM June 15 with family at her side. She ended her fight with Alzheimer’s quickly; she was still active and skiing this January.
Originally from Barre, Vermont, Debby graduated from Middlebury College with a BA in Geography in 1964. After college, she worked for a publishing company in Boston as the map editor. She moved to San Francisco in 1966 and worked as a map editor for the Addison-Wesley publishing company as well as an accountant for The North Face. She married Bob Law in 1969 and together they lived in Zurich for a year. Upon return to the U.S., they moved to Marin County, where they lived until 2002. While living in Marin, Debby and Bob raised their two children while Debby worked in the adventure travel industry. Most notably, she was the U.S. sales manager for Tiger Mountain Nepal. Debby and Bob moved to Sun Valley in 2002.
Debby was an active member of many organizations in Wood River Valley, including being one of the founding members of what is now the Wood River Women’s Foundation. She handled the jobs of secretary and newsletter editor for several years.
Debby was an avid skier. She was a member of the Middlebury ski team as well as the Snow Queen at the Middlebury Winter Carnival. Skiing was a wonderful part of her relationship with her husband, Bob. Together, they skied at a variety of resorts both on the East and West Coasts as well as in Europe. Wherever she skied, Debby was known for creating elegant turns in powder, bumps, and groomers.
Soon after arriving in Sun Valley 19 years ago, Debby was a regular member of the Mountain Masters program. She was also an active member of Muffy Ritz’s Vamps program, participating in some of its competitive activities.
Debby was also an avid cyclist. She cycled through eight European countries, and even completed century rides in California. She enjoyed many bike rides with Sun Valley friends over the past 19 years.
Debby introduced Bob to backpacking and accompanied him on numerous treks, not only in the Sierra Nevada and Sawtooth ranges, but also in the Himalayas. In 1982, she and Bob trekked to Kala Patthar at over 18,000 feet, looking down at Everest base camp.
Debby was a passionate cook and often hosted large dinner parties for her friends. She loved entertaining and creating wonderful meals for her family and friends.
Even more significant than her accomplishments, Debby will be remembered for her incredible spirit. She was uniquely kind and thoughtful, selflessly always giving of herself. She often downplayed her intelligence and athleticism with humility and modesty. She was a graceful and elegant woman with an amazing smile who will be deeply missed by her friends and family.
She is preceded in death by her mother Janet Gillette, her father Robert Gillette and her brother, Ned Gillette. She is survived by her husband Bob, her two children Bryan Law and Carrie Grant, and her two grandchildren.
A memorial service for Debby will be held at 2 Lane Ranch Road West, Sun Valley on August 16th at 4:00pm. Attendees are asked to wear colorful clothing to honor Debby’s vibrant spirit. The family has requested that memorial donations be sent to the Wood River Women’s Foundation in Debby’s name.