Deborah Jane Ryan Zwang

Deborah Jane Ryan Zwang made a hasty departure for the afterlife the morning of Sunday, June 4 from the comfort of her home in Libby, Montana.

Debbie was born in 1949 in Great Falls, Montana as the first of three children to Don and Marian Ryan. The family soon moved to Missoula, where Debbie attended Hellgate High School (Class of 1966) with her brothers. She graduated in 1971 from the University of Montana with a Bachelor degree in Arts and Radio-Television.

Debbie was working at her father’s pharmacy, Don’s Drug, in Missoula, when she met a then intern, David J. Zwang of Libby, Montana. The two would soon be married and move to Spokane, Washington where she worked as a supervisor for the Expo 1974 World’s Fair and as a sales representative for Crown Zellerbach Paper Co.

In 1977 the couple returned to Montana, where they would build a home, start a family and share their love for the outdoors.

In Libby, Debbie became an ever integral part of the Zwang family business, Center Drug, with her unmistakable style and gifted presence, as well as enriching communities with her journalistic work for both state and local publications.

Debbie is survived by her husband David; son Douglas (Elizabeth, granddaughter Alianza), Bozeman, Montana; daughter Margeaux, McCall, Idaho; brothers, cousins, nieces, nephews and generations of family near and far.

A future date for a Celebration of Life is forthcoming.