Carolyn Lee Pancrazi

Carolyn was born March 12, 1927 in Santa Barbara, CA. She grew up in Williams, AZ where she attended grade school and high school. She continued her education at the Arizona State Teachers College (now Northern Arizona University) at Flagstaff, AZ earning a bachelor of education degree with a minor in home economics. She naturally drew people to her, as she did throughout her life, becoming home-coming queen in 1947. After graduation, she accepted a teaching position at Roosevelt elementary school and moved to Yuma. In 1951 she married Robert A. Pancrazi, who came from a long-time Yuma family. Together, they raised five children, eleven grandchildren, and one great grandchild born August 2022.

Carolyn was an accomplished public elementary school teacher. As her children grew, she taught as a substitute teacher at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School. She enjoyed teaching and was very humbled when her students remembered her on encounters around town years later.

Carolyn had wide-ranging interests and skills which included golf, bridge, and conversation - including the wonderful ability to make people feel comfortable and welcome. She loved art and had an artist’s eye that was applied to everything she did. Being fortunate to travel to many different countries, she appreciated the diversity and history of other cultures. She also really enjoyed the simple beauty of nature and particularly looked forward to the humming birds returning to nest in her patio each year. Her keen mind, curiosity, and interest in learning were demonstrated by her ability to e-mail, text message her grandkids, and shop on-line even as she turned 95. Who knows, she may have even become a crypto expert if she continued her journey!

One of her last missives was that we all “Be kind and loving to each other” and realize that “Family is most important.”

Carolyn was a parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Visitation will be held at Johnson Mortuary on January 6th, 2023 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, with the recitation of the Holy Rosary at 6:00 PM. A Funeral Memorial Mass will be celebrated on January 7th, 2023 at 9:30 AM at St. Francis Catholic Church.

Carolyn is survived by her brother and his spouse: Mark and Jennifer Byrd of Albuquerque, New Mexico; her five children and their spouses: Doug and Pam Pancrazi of Yuma; Andrea and David Brehe of Paso Robles, California; Barbara and Theo Clement of Heemstede, Netherlands; Mark and Susan Pancrazi of Yuma; and Tom and Julie Pancrazi of Yuma; her eleven grandchildren: Lauren (Pancrazi) Maslin, Nathan Pancrazi, Michael Pancrazi, Rens Clement, Tess Clement, Nick Pancrazi, Chase Pancrazi, Luke Pancrazi, Colin Pancrazi, Clayton Pancrazi, and Coralie Pancrazi; and her great grandchild: Ace Taylor (A.T.) Pancrazi. Carolyn is also survived by fourteen nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Robert “Bob” and Sara Lee (Amort) Byrd; her daughter Lynn Pancrazi; and her spouse Robert “Bob” Andrew Pancrazi.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations may be made to:

Yuma Catholic High School

2100 W. 28th Street

Yuma, AZ 85364-6938

(928) 317-7900

www.yumacatholic.org

Hospice of Yuma

1824 S. 8th Avenue

Yuma, AZ 85364-5517

(928) 343-2222

www.hospiceofyuma.com