Karol Kay DeGraw
Karol Kay DeGraw (née Noss) passed away unexpectedly on the evening of August 3, 2024, near Napoleon, Michigan. She was 83 years old.
Born in Waterloo, Iowa, to Betty and Earl Noss in 1941, Karol was energetic, enthusiastic and kind. Her adventurous spirit was deeply rooted in sports, and she thrived on physical challenges. More than just pursuing her own passions, she encouraged everyone around her to step outside their comfort zones and try new things. Whether it was introducing friends to flying, getting someone on a motorcycle for the first time or inviting others to join her on the tennis court, she wanted to share the joys she experienced. Her enthusiasm was both infectious and impossible to resist.
Although she was born in Iowa, her family soon moved to Prestonsburg, Kentucky, where she spent her childhood until she was 11. They relocated again to Michigan in 1952. Her passion for sports drove her to play a key role in organizing girls’ intramurals, especially basketball, while at Jackson High School.
Not long after moving to Jackson in her teenage years, she began motorcycle racing, a passion she followed until 1976, primarily competing in open-class events, largely against male riders. She competed in motorcycle racing events throughout the U.S. and in Europe, including scrambles, enduros and marathons. She was a longtime member of the Motor Maids, a womens’ motorcycle riding club, alongside her mother and, later, her daughter. Over the course of 50 years, she traveled to more than 40 states and Canada with the club.
She met Dick DeGraw in 1962, and they married in 1968. Karol was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from Northern Michigan University in 1966 with a B.S. in physical education, a minor in math and a teaching certificate. She taught high school P.E. for three years before stepping away when her first child was born in July 1969. Her second child was born five years later in July 1974. Much later, she would return to teaching as a substitute for several years in local middle and high schools.
Karol was an amazing and devoted mother, deeply involved in her children’s lives. She never missed a sporting competition, dance recital, band concert, piano recital or school award ceremony. Her unwavering support and encouragement were constants her children could always count on, and she took immense pride in their activities and accomplishments.
For more than 20 years, beginning in 1973 when her mother opened Page Ave Gymnastics in Michigan Center, Karol coached competitive and recreational gymnastics. Working there nearly every day, she also spent summers coaching at Michigan State University and led teams at Parkside High and Napoleon High. She became a high school gymnastics official, traveling across the state to judge meets and tournaments.
She earned her airplane license in 1984, later adding a gyroplane rating in 1996 and a helicopter rating in 1998. In 1997, her husband built her a gyroplane, which she named DeBird—later reconstructed as DeBird 2. She logged over 2,300 hours of flight time and loved being in the sky. She firmly believed that people could achieve anything they set their minds to—and that everyone should get a pilot’s license or at least take one flying lesson in their lifetime.
In the early 2000s, Karol, along with her son, developed an interest in rock climbing. She often traveled across the country to climb with him, her husband and extended family. Climbing became a natural part of her life, and she last climbed in early 2024 at the age of 83 while in Hawaii.
Sports were a lifelong passion for Karol, with tennis holding a special place in her heart. She played throughout her life, and after retiring and becoming a snowbird—migrating each fall to Florida with Dick—she devoted even more time to the game.
In Florida, she played regularly, made good friends on the court and found joy in both the sport and the companionship.
She is predeceased by her parents, Betty and Earl, and her brother, Mason. She is survived by her husband, Dick; her brother, Gregory; her daughter, Penny; her son, Timothy; and two grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. on June 21, 2025, at 5820 Squires Road, Jackson, MI 49201. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests a donation in Karol’s name to americanforests.org/.
Franklin Dwight McClendon
Franklin Dwight McClendon, age 90, of Sun City Center, went home to be with Jesus on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Born August 9, 1934, in the countryside of Walker County, Alabama, Frank was the son of Hubert and Lorene (Tidwell) McClendon.
As a teenager, Frank joined the U.S. Navy, serving proudly as an electrician aboard ship. After his military service, he returned to Birmingham, Alabama, where a YWCA dance led him to meet his future wife, Marie Keith. Frank launched a career in real estate and was called to the ministry, all while raising three children.
After retiring to Florida, Frank settled in Sun City Center, where he remained active in church and community as a visitation pastor. After 54 years of marriage, he lost his beloved Marie Keith in 2014 but found love again in 2016, marrying longtime Sun City Center resident, Marie Ware McClendon.
Frank is survived by his loving wife, Marie; his three children, Renae Pruitt (daughter, Alabama), Keith McClendon (son, Florida) and Kent McClendon (son, Florida); and dozens of adoring grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The service will be held at Trinity Baptist Church, 702 W. Del Webb Blvd., Sun City Center, on Saturday, May 10, at 11 a.m. with a light lunch to follow.