Debra Pinder Symonette, artist, teacher, dies at 52

EVERYBODY NEEDS a hug once in a while.

That was the idea behind the Prayer Shawl Ministry, begun by Debra Pinder Symonette at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown.

Members of the ministry combine knitting and crocheting with prayer, creating shawls for people, mostly women, in need of comforting.

"A shawl ends up being very personal and very loving," said Zelphia Ellerson, a friend of Debra's since they attended Girls High together. "It's a hug. That's what it is."

The shawl ministry was just one expression of Debra Symonette's compassion and love of people. The multi-talented educator, onetime architect, artist and craftsman died Wednesday of complications of endometrial cancer. She was 52 and lived in East Mount Airy.

Debra devoted her long teaching career to the city's Quaker schools. She had just completed her second year of teaching at William Penn Charter School. Her affliliation with Friends schools began when she enrolled in Friends Select School as a first-grader.

She also taught five grade levels at Greene Street Friends School, in Germantown, starting when her three sons attended. She was also admissions director for a time.

"Debbie was a big believer in the Quaker value that there is the light of God in everyone, no matter who they are," said her husband, Alan A. Symonette, a lawyer and labor and employment arbitrator. They met when both attended Swarthmore College.

"She understood that kids have different ways of learning. She believed that schools should complement the learning style of each child."

Debra was an art-history major at Swarthmore and studied architecture at Rice University, where she earned a master's degree.

She worked as an architect for the Philadelphia firms of Alesker and Reiff, Livingston Rosenwinkle and Vitetta Group, one of only a few African-Americans working in the field.

In a professon in which computer-assisted design has all but made the pencil obsolete, Debra was highly regarded for her ability as a free-hand drafter.

"The thing about Debbie was she was so thorough," said Kristin Mullaney, longtime friend and co-worker at Alesker and Reiff. "She was so coordinated, so detailed, so perfect."

Debra founded Paper Crane Studio, a crafts studio based at the church. She taught doll-making, rubber-stamping, scrapbooking, basket-making, card-making, calligraphy, beading, orgami, crocheting, knitting, quilt-making and other skills.

"Paper crane" is a Japanese symbol of peace and hope.

Debra also taught a variety of crafts at the Mount Airy Learning Tree, and organized "Stitch and Pitch" outings to Phillies games.

She was a member of United Methodist Women, which works to raise awareness of human rights, economic opportunity and health and quality-of-life issues relevant to women. She also was a member of the board of Weaver's Way, the West Mount Airy food cooperative.

She was active with the Nursing Mothers Association, and the Babysitting Cooperative, which provides parents with a money-saving alternative to babysitting.

Besides her husband, she is survived by three sons, Andrew, Matthew and Jason; her parents, Florence Sheppard and Herbert Pinder; three sisters, Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, Kristen Pinder and Laural Pinder Jones; and a brother, Herb Pinder.

Services: Memorial service 10 a.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church of Germantown, 6001 Germantown Ave.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Greene Street Friends School, Germantown Friends School, William Penn Charter School, Abington Friends School, Swarthmore College or First United Methodist Church of Germantown. *