Barbara Joan DeFrancisco (Stout) passed away on Friday April 12th 2024 after a brief illness. Barb was born on May 3, 1936 in Mankato, Minnesota where she grew up with her parents, Virgil and Mabel Stout, and her brother Len Stout. Barb graduated from Mankato High School and worked in a hospital laboratory in her younger years.
She and her husband Al lived in Des Moines and Ames Iowa for many years where Al worked in the steel industry and later at the Iowa Department of Transportation. They moved to Arizona in March 2009 after having visited here for years to see her parents who lived and retired in Sun City. Over the years they spent time with Mark, Kelly and Nick at many family dinners and holidays, often including Kelly’s family from New York and Kelly’s cousin Sherri Farrell and her husband Jim. She and Al also attended their grandson’s basketball games in his earlier years of playing and even went to one his tournaments in San Diego, their first time seeing the ocean! In 2014 they ventured to Hawaii with Mark, Kelly, and Kelly’s mom (Dee) and step-father (Jim) for a three-island tour! Barb enjoyed the occasional day trip with Kelly where they went to Cottonwood to visit a winery and also a train ride in the Verde Valley, Arizona. For many years they gathered with Al’s family (Lynn, Armand, Mike and Patty) for get-togethers to catch up when Mike and Patty were in town. The conversations often involved the old days and current happenings in Des Moines.
Barb had a life-long interest in aviation and took young Mark to the airport in Des Moines many times to watch airplanes take off and land – the start to Mark’s career in aviation. He got his pilot’s license at age 17 and went on to various aviation positions including corporate jets, cargo planes, and most recently flying for American Airlines. She was extremely proud of his accomplishments and always inquired where he was off to next and asking various questions about flight patterns and operations. She and Mark shared an interest in weather as well and they both enjoyed watching the weather and enjoying our storms in the desert.
Barb lived independently in her own home after Al’s passing and managed all of her affairs such as shopping, doctor’s appointments, and getting her hair done each week. And she was generous with her family as well!
Barb was preceded in death by her parents Virgil and Mabel; her husband Albert (Al) DeFrancisco; her brother Leonard (Len) Stout; and her son Mark DeFrancisco. She is survived by her grandson, Nicholas DeFrancisco (Nick); daughter-in-law Kelly DeFrancisco; three nieces Jennifer, Molly and Kelly and their children Jordan, Katie, Douglas, Grace, Lily and Grady; nephew Mike DeFrancisco, niece Patty DeFrancisco, and their mother Lynn Lathrum.
A private viewing will be held with family at Sunland Funeral Home on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 at Sunland Funeral Home in Sun City.
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