Obituary of Carol Elizabeth Hamby
Carol Elizabeth Hamby
Carol Elizabeth Hamby, our beloved Mom and Nana, passed away at her home on Thursday, April 15, 2021. She was born in Atlanta, GA on September 5, 1942 to David and Glorina Horton. A Tucson resident since 1976, Carol considered the desert her home. She worked in a variety of jobs in Arizona, most notably as banquet manager at Tucson National Resort and in food service at Amphitheater High School, from where she retired in 2010.
Strong and determined, Carol faced adversity but rose above it to make an impact on every person she met. Adults called her Nana even when they weren’t her grandchildren. She loved nature, children, and feeding people.
Carol’s greatest accomplishment was her family. She took her children and grandchildren on amazing adventures—sometimes featuring mud-stuck cars, javelinas, lakes, forests, back roads, desert vistas, Kool-Aid (complete with mustaches), or the best mac-n-cheese and sweet tea--and always each other. We all make mistakes in life, but Carol fiercely loved all her family no matter what choices they made or paths they took. All she wanted was for them to be happy, to be their best selves, and to spend time together. She raised strong, capable women and sensitive, caring men. She passed on her dedication to hard work, her sense of humor, her strength, and her sass.
So, when you hear a child laugh, a fish plop in a lake as the evening rolls in, see a hummingbird dancing around a feeder, or a frog anytime, remember: Nana loves you.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother John and sister Diane; niece Zeni; and son Doris. She is survived by daughters Kellie (Steve), Kim (Brian), and Kandis; sons Rob (Eydie) and Mark (Veronica); 13 grandchildren, Jacob, Melady (Jason), April (Steven), Ben, Lori (Lacc), Willa, Sullivan, Mandi, Jessica, Sam, Alex, Nikki, and Peyton; and 17 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers, David (Kay) and Loren (Karen), their children and nieces Diana and Toi (Ryan), great-nephew Chance, as well as much extended family and friends. A private celebration of life will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association, the COPD Foundation, or the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.
