Carol Daugherty DeFrain
Carol Daugherty DeFrain, 74, passed away February 21, 2017 at her home in PebbleCreek with a big Irish smile on her face. She was always so proud of her Irish (O’Dochartaigh Clan) heritage – a clan that had descended from the high kings and queens of Ireland. She had fought a valiant battle with gall bladder cancer for the past year.
She was born in Hastings, Nebraska on August 4, 1942 and graduated from Hastings High School in 1959 and later from the Lincoln School of Commerce. She married Dennis DeFrain on November 21, 1964 in Lincoln, Nebraska and loved to travel the world during his Army career. She also worked in Federal Civil Service at various locations and retired as a GS 11, F-16 (aircraft) competition manager in 1997 and moved to Arizona the following year. She loved Arizona, which cured her asthma, and she became very active in exercise classes, something she had been unable to do in colder climates.
Carol was a wonderful loving wife, mother and grandmother and genuinely loved and respected her friends and family and they loved her quiet ways and true friendship. She is survived by her husband Dennis, one son Darren and his wife Melinda who are both professors at Wichita State University and her two grand-daughters Madchen and Ava. She is also survived by her sister Sharon Farrell and her husband Charlie of New Braunfels, Texas, her brother Glen Daugherty and his wife Rosella of Hastings Nebraska, her sister-in-law Barbara DeFrain Jantzen and her husband Raymond of Beatrice, Nebraska and her brother-in-law Rex DeFrain and his wife Tamie of Fairbury, Nebraska. She was preceded in death by her parents Raymond and Fern Daugherty of Hastings, Nebraska.
In lieu of flowers, please honor Carol’s life and legacy by contributing to the PebbleCreek LifeLong Learning program (16347 W. Wilshire Drive, Goodyear Arizona 85395) or the Luke Chapter, Military Officers Association of America Scholarship Fund (16479 W Virginia Avenue, Goodyear, Arizona 85395), both of which are 501c3 non-profit organizations.
Per her wishes, there will be no public memorial service. The family will have a celebration of life in March.