Ajijic resident Deborah Greenfield passed away in her home ON April 16 at the age of 94.
Born in New York City on September 15, 1920, Greenfield attended New York University where she met her future husband James Greenfield, a manufacturing engineer. They married in 1941.
After her husband returned from World War II, Greenfield worked with her mother in New York as an interior decorator. In 1961, her husband’s business activities led them to Europe. They lived in several cities, including London and Amsterdam, before settling in Milan, Italy. 
Greenfield’s husband passed away in 1966. With her two children in college, she quickly transformed herself from mother to businesswoman, founding a company called Campoverde or “Greenfield” translated in Italian.
She worked for many years in Italy with prestigious fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan. She was tenacious and indefatigable in her work, always ready to run the extra mile for her clients. She dressed beautifully, more to show off her trade than herself, and was a symbol of modern elegance to her entourage.
At the age of 75, after nearly 20 years running her own company, Greenfield decided to retire. She surprised her family in 1995 with her announcement that she was moving to Ajijic. It was of no matter to Greenfield that she didn’t know anyone living there!
Greenfield was a pioneering and independent woman who found Mexico’s endearing charm, bustle and willingness to grow similar to the life and spirit she discovered when she first moved to Italy. Only a month after settling in Ajijic, she called her grandson in Paris to tell him she was having a housewarming party and had already invited 40 of her new friends! Some years later her youngest son Robert joined her in Mexico following his marriage to Patricia de la Torre, a native of Guadalajara.
During her time in Ajijic, Greenfield served as president of School for the Deaf and was a member of the Duplicate Bridge Club and the Jewish community. She frequented a Wednesday lunch group of ladies, and was an outstanding hostess.
In Ajijic Greenfield found a large and diverse community of friends and truly considered Mexico to be her loving home and the people in the village to be her family.
She is survived by her children Jay (Hannah) and Robert (Patricia, deceased), grandchildren James, Luke, Molly, Anna and Jaymie Greenfield, and Liz, Helen and Josie Schmidt. Her four great-grandchildren are Louis and Elliot Greenfield, and Maeve and Tula Campman.
A private memorial will be held later in May.