Copyright syracuse.com
In 2003, while working in the neonatal intensive care unit at Syracuse’s Crouse Hospital, Deborah Ann Neuman made a complaint on behalf of her fellow nurses. The tubing for the newborn babies on their continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines kept falling out, despite the safety pins and rubber bands rigged to keep the equipment in place. Dr. Bonnie Marr challenged Neuman, telling the nurse, “Well, if you don’t like it, come up with something else.” “So, I did,” she told The Post-Standard two years later. “Neuman started fooling around with ideas in 2003 and by January 2004 took her prototype to a patent lawyer,” reporter Amber Smith wrote. Neuman described her Bubble CPAP Cap for Neonates as “a cute little hat that holds their equipment in place.” The machine-sewn cap covered the baby’s ears and came down to their chin. The tubes were attached with Velcro. “It’s an important improvement for babies on CPAP because it allows their parents to hold them and nurses to move them around more easily,” Smith wrote. “And, if the CPAP helps their condition improve, many babies can avoid being placed on ventilators.” Neuman donated 49 CPAP Caps to the Syracuse hospital and then waited to sell the caps until she obtained a patent. That was issued on May 10, 2005. “I’m a U.S. patent holder,” she proudly said shortly after the gold-foil certificate arrived from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Her invention was just one example of Neuman’s dedication to area newborns during her 43-year career at Crouse Hospital. Deborah Ann (Wolcott) Neuman, of Camillus, passed away peacefully on Monday at Strong Memorial Hospital, surrounded by her loving family. She was 66 years old. According to her obituary, Neuman was born on February 10, 1959, in Philadelphia, PA. She “devoted her life to caring for others, both personally and professionally.” Neuman pursued her passion for nursing at Syracuse University and later earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Keuka College. Her dedication to the well-being of newborns led her to become a NICU nurse and a board-certified lactation consultant. “Her work was more than a career—it was a calling,” her obituary said. “Debbie was known as a miracle worker by many families whose lives she touched during their most vulnerable moments. Her compassion and skill left an indelible mark on countless lives.” She retired in April of 2025. At the “heart of her world” was her family. She shared a loving marriage with her husband, Jerry Neuman Sr., and together “they built a life filled with joy and adventure.” Neuman was a devoted mother to Jerry (Kara) Neuman Jr. and Jennifer (Matthew) Andino. Her five beloved grandchildren—Gavin, Maddy, Greyson, Beckett, and Owen—were the light of her life. She loved nothing more than snuggling with them and watching them grow. She also cherished the bond she shared with her siblings: sisters, Lynn Wolcott and Sue Bahnick and brother, Samuel Wolcott. She carried forward the love and values instilled by her late parents, Samuel and Carol Wolcott. Outside of work and family, Debbie found joy in simple pleasures that reflected her generous spirit, her obituary said. Neuman loved making handmade cards, a small but heartfelt way she expressed care for others, and treasured spontaneous excursions with Jerry Sr., especially their frequent trips to Carvel. “Those who knew Debbie will remember her as selfless and caring — someone who would do just about anything for anyone without hesitation or expectation,” her obituary said. “Her warmth radiated through every aspect of her life.” There will be no calling hours. To celebrate Neuman’s life, relatives and friends are invited to a memorial service on Monday, November 3, at 11 a.m., at the First Baptist Church of Memphis, 1960 W. Genesee Turnpike, Elbridge. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741, or to the Crouse Health Foundation, c/o Crouse Little Fighters, 736 Irving Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210.
