Deanna Avey Motikeit

DeAnna Avey-Motikeit, retired San Bernardino County DCFS director, passed away on April 1, 2021 after a brief but strongly fought battle with cancer.  She was under the care of Hospice at her home in Lake Arrowhead, California and was surrounded by family and friends.
Born March 17, 1962 in Martinsburg, West Virginia, she was youngest of three sisters born to Earl Emmert (Mike) and Martha (Wanda) Avey.  DeAnna is survived by her sister Vickie A. (Bill) Cave (Martinsburg, WV) and Brenda (Paul) Pearson (Martinsburg, WV).  DeAnna is also survived by her many treasured nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.  She most enjoyed being a dog mommy to Jasper and loved all of her dogs that she had throughout her life.  She married her late husband Frank on September 10, 2004 and they were together for thirty years when Frank passed in Feb 2019.  DeAnna enjoyed travelling, scuba diving, tennis, spending time with her family in West Virginia, hikes with dog Jasper and spending time with her many many friends.  More recently, DeAnna had been traveling and enjoying life with her adventure partner and boyfriend Jonathon Hall.

DeAnna was a giant in the field of Child and Family Policy in the State of California.  After being hired as a San Bernardino County Social Worker in the 1980s, DeAnna quickly rose through the County leadership, culminating in her retirement in 2013 as San Bernardino County DCFS Director.  Prior to retirement, she had touched numerous departments from Deputy Director of Aging Services to the Assistant Director of Department of Behavioral Health.  DeAnna was highly sought out as a consultant throughout the state and continued her Mission of reforming Child and Family Services in California through leadership in the use of CORE practices.  DeAnna believed in “paying it forward” and mentored numerous social workers and child welfare Directors.
DeAnna was a regular and generous supporter of our local SPCA/Humane Society.  DeAnna has been described as having a lot of energy and being around her “was like a cup of coffee for the soul”.  She had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh.

In Lieu of flowers donations can be given to the Inland Valley Humane Society in San Bernardino.
In Lieu of flowers donations can be given to the Berkeley County Humane Society in Martinsburg, WV.
At a later date, the family be having a celebration of life in San Simeon, CA and Martinsburg, WV.

 

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