Naomi Virginia DeYoung
Heaven’s choir welcomed a new member, Naomi Virginia DeYoung, on April 14, 2021. Naomi was born on October 5, 1924 in Williamston, Michigan, the third child of Vincent and Maude Virginia (nee Taylor) Carver.
Like many young people during the depression Naomi enjoyed roller skating and swimming, including synchronized swimming. There was no money so she said that they would close the street at both ends and all the families would come into the street and skate. She attended Eastern High School in Lansing, Michigan where she met her future husband, George William DeYoung. In her senior year of high school Naomi was voted the girl with the prettiest fingernails. When George went into the Army Naomi rode a bus from Michigan to Pageland, South Carolina where they were married on September 9, 1942 in a grocery store. During the war Naomi worked in a factory supporting the war effort. She liked to knit and crochet and made baby sweaters that she sold in a local store. Three children were born to the couple: Tara Lee (1946), Lawrence Arthur (1949), and Mary Cris (1951). She later worked at Oldsmobile on the assembly line. She said she put bolts in the underside of cars so was constantly squatting up and down as the assembly belt moved the parts along. In 1957 the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona and Naomi worked at Sperry Phoenix Company until she retired as an assembler/supervisor. The family enjoyed camping, square dancing and getting together with other families to play cards. In their later years George and Naomi bought two duplexes in Glendale, Arizona. Naomi was a very social person and made life long friends with some of their tenants. She was very patriotic and loved to wear red, white and blue. Naomi and George flew a US flag in front of their house and she even had a flag at the door of her apartment at Thunderbird Senior Living. George passed in 2006 after 64 years of marriage.
Naomi was the last survivor of her immediate family. Welcoming her in Heaven were her parents; her husband; siblings David Arthur Carver, Mildred Weis Lindesmith, Edith Elaine Yager and baby sister Alice Leona Carver; two sons-in-law, William Abbott and Wallace Knight; a great-grandson, Bo Olsen, and all of Naomi’s first cousins.
Surviving Naomi are her children Tara Knight, Larry (Army), and Mary Rogers (Ray), 8 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter and nieces and nephews. She was a faithful Christian and will be greatly missed by her family and all who knew her.
Visitation will be on April 23, 2021 from 12 noon until 1:00pm at West Resthaven Funeral Home, 6450 W Northern Ave, Glendale, Arizona. A graveside service will follow at Resthaven Park Cemetery at 1:00pm. Please bring a chair if you would like to sit. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the charity of your choice.