Carolyn Anne Fugedy

She was preceded in death by her husband, John L. Fugedy, and her parents.

Carolyn was working as a clerk at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida when she met her husband, John. Carolyn moved often as a child and then as the wife of an Air Force pilot, living in Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, Florida, Germany, and Texas. Her Rogers home for the last 50 plus years was where she and her husband raised their family and then hosted family holidays and visiting grandchildren. Her last two years were at Apple Blossom.

In 1976, Carolyn started her career as an optician with Drs. Pickens and McNair. Her position grew into the optical manager and a Board-Certified Optician for the Boozman-Hof Eye Clinic, managing the optical shop until she retired.

She had a knack for looking at a recipe and knowing if the flavors blended well. Carolyn was proud of her ‘Asparagus and Ham Roll-ups’ recipe was published in Southern Living, netting her a few dollars. She also was an accomplished seamstress, teaching all her daughters to sew too. She very much wanted her children to know about the world and supported children that were pen pals for her daughters in Taiwan and Yugoslavia. In 1977-8, Grace became another daughter as an American Field Service Student from Peru living in the Fugedy home. Grace and her family are still close to the Fugedy family.

Two of Carolyn’s grandchildren grew up across the street from her. Kaitlin was used to afternoon naps with her grandmother, who always read to her before the nap. Kaitlin’s first American Girl books and doll were Molly, who grew up in the 1940s, when Carolyn grew up.

Carolyn loved genealogy and travel, often combining the two. She was inspired by her Aunt Mary’s research and her daughter Sharon’s shared interest. She and Sharon visited Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Salt Lake City, and she and her sister Joan and their husbands visited Scotland and England in search of ancestor’s stories. Carolyn was the past president of the Genealogy Society in Rogers. She also loved to travel and cruise, visiting Canada, Europe, Peru (including hiking Machu Picchu), and Israel. She and her husband, John, traveled through Texas, the Midwest, Canada – and the shores of Beaver Lake – in their motor home.

Carolyn also was great at making and keeping friends and her Christmas card list included several dozen names. High school friends Irene and Harriet became lifelong friends and Annette, the daughter of her best friend Helen Marquis, stayed close throughout her life. A couple she met on her honeymoon became the godparents of daughter Karen. Travels often included visiting old friends.

Carolyn’s 80th birthday included riding 75 miles on a Harley to lunch in a biker bar in a little New Mexico desert town. Beautiful scenery along the way. She had a blast!! Three children followed in a boring white van to join her for lunch and then birthday cake back at the Harley-Davidson dealership. She also went hiking in the desert with her family. On another trip to NM, she and John experienced the Albuquerque Balloon Festival.

For her 85th birthday, daughters Karen and Connie took Carolyn to the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, then for a visit with her brother Robert and his family in Indiana. We thought she was too tired after driving back to Nashville after a two-day visit, so we told her we would take her to the hotel before hitting the outlet mall next door. “Oh no you won’t!” Talbots stock must have gone up that week.

Carolyn is survived by her son, John J. Fugedy (Maria Pia) of New Mexico; daughters, Connie Cottingham (Mike Sikes) of Georgia, Karen McGrail (Lou) of Rogers, and Sharon Agabra (David) of California; brother, Robert P. Porter of Indiana; sister, Joan Porter-Benn of Florida; and grandchildren, Kaitlin, John Michael, Nicholas, Jonathan and Benjamin.

Visitation Monday, 4-6pm Rollins Funeral Home.

Funeral mass 12pm Tues, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, burial St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery.