COUNCILWOMAN

(Continued from Page 1) member as “a very staunch, loyal and dependable member of the community” who always came across as “genuine” and “without any pretense.”

“Debbie never sought the kind of attention that can come with being an elected official,” he maintained. “She served for all the right reasons, had a really clear perspective, did her due diligence on issues, didn’t waffle or beat around the bush, and always put friendship before politics or political differences.”

Her achievements on the council, Brown noted, included having created the Evesham Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), which offers students in grades 6-12 an opportunity to plan and manage their own service projects and initiatives (“nurturing the next generation of leaders,” as she put it), as well as championing sports programs, serving as an advocate for for the Girl Scouts, and championing any cause that might benefit the township’s youth.

Brown and DiEnna also offered their deepest sympathies to Hackman’s unexpectedly bereaved family – her husband of 32 years, David Hackman, and daughters Rachel and Abigail (Abby), both of whom are in their 20s, with DiEnna describing Hackman as “the consummate family person, mom and wife.”

“There was never a moment when she didn’t demonstrate the total family commitment,” was how DiEnna put it. “We always coerced her daughters to campaign door-to-door with us by promising to have ice cream afterward.”

Both Rachel Hackman, in a phone interview with this newspaper, and her sister Abigail in a eulogy posted on Facebook, characterized their mother as their “best friend” and as the person most instrumental in molding their character.

“She was there for me,” Rachel Hackman reminisced. “It’s hard to say goodbye to someone who has dedicated their life to making sure you turn out to be a decent human being. She poured her life into Abigail and me.”

But then, Rachel Hackman contended, her mother was someone who essentially “lived for other people.”

“I’m just overwhelmed by the amount of love and support we’ve received from the community,” she added.

Abby Hackman’s tribute read, in part: “I don’t have the words to express the pain in my heart. …I am so sad to see you go so soon. You brought light to this world, and

I would not be who I am without you. … I know you are walking on the beaches of heaven and looking down on me right now.”

Both of Deborah Hackman’s former council colleagues also concurred that she was a fitness buff who appeared to be in good shape and didn’t seem to be suffering from any illness and indicated they were quite taken aback at the unforeseen nature of her passing, which occurred at Virtua Marlton Hospital where she was taken shortly after she returned from her job teaching at Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Westampton. (At the time of her death, she was in the process of studying for a Master’s Degree at Wilmington University, according to her obituary.)

“Every time you saw her, she was bubbly and smiling,” Brown recalled.

The role she played in Evesham government was also praised in a press release announcing her death from Democratic Mayor Jaclyn “Jackie” Veasy and the rest of the current township council.

“I want to personally offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Councilwoman Deb Hackman,” Veasy noted in the release. “Her many years of public service and volunteer efforts in Evesham reflect her strong dedication to helping her community and the residents she served. She took especially great pride in guiding our local youth, and the lessons she imparted on the importance of community service will live on for years to come in the future leaders who were fortunate enough to learn from her.”

The release also included some words from Brown, who called it “an honor and a privilege to serve alongside Councilwoman Deb Hackman for more than a decade” and described her as “a dedicated public servant, committed to making Evesham Township a great place to live and raise a family.”

According to the release, all flags were to be lowered in Evesham in Hackman’s honor on the day of her funeral service, which was scheduled to take place March 2, with burial in Park View Cemetery in Kirby’s Mill, in Medford Township. It also asked residents to “please keep all her loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

A native of Drexel Hill, Pa., Hackman graduated from Eastern University in St. Davids, Pa., and taught chemistry at Burlington Township High School prior to being employed at BCIT.

In addition to her husband and two daughters, she is survived by her mother, Eleanor Knauss, having been predeceased by her father, Alton Knauss, and her brother, Geoffrey Knauss.

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