July 2022
Losing friends is part of life, but why does it have to hurt so bad at times? On June 4th, my friend Deborah passed away from injuries sustained in a tragic motorcycle crash. I feel a loss of not only a friend but also someone who has been an outspoken supporter of my lobby efforts for the past six years. The motorcycle community has lost an advocate. Not only in Arizona but on
a national scale also.
There has been a tremendous outpouring of condolences to her family, including her motorcycle rights family. We all have our own memories of this pioneering woman, and I would like to share a little of mine.
I have been the lobbyist for ABATE of Arizona going on 7 years now. Although I was recruited to be our lobbyist by Mary K and Mike S, it was
Deborah who made the Board of Directors
motion to appoint me. I remember it was up in Star Valley hosted by the High Country Chapter. I really had no clue as to what I was getting myself into. She called, texted and emailed me
consistently encouraging me to stay true to the cause and I’d be ok. No matter what, I knew that she had my back and her loyalty was unwavering.
You see, Deborah was the first motorcycle lobbyist in Arizona. Not the first “female” motorcycle lobbyist but the very first! It was her and StillRay back in the day that set the bar as high
as it is and much of the early successes that the SMROs in Arizona made legislatively were because of her tenacity. That woman refused to
take no for an answer. And we in Arizona are better for it.
She then set her sights on the national scene. The MRF is better because of her. I won’t get into the accomplishments she made or all that she was awarded. I will tell you that she will be missed by her MRF family and that there is a void that can’t be filled.
I am a member of 12 different SMROs because of her encouragement. I have stuck it out when I was planning on resigning because of her and a few others.
Mike InfanzonLegislative Director
