Deane McLure Hargrave, a professor of English at NAU for more than 30 years, died May 29, 2012. She was 81.
Born and raised in west Texas to the late Charles E. and Dessie Dean (Evans) McLure, Dr. Hargrave earned her bachelor’s, master’s and Ed.S. degrees from NAU and a Ph.D. from ASU. She began teaching English at NAU in 1965 and in 1991 was recognized with the President’s Award for Faculty and Academic Professionals. She taught at NAU for more than 30 years before retiring to the Cottonwood/Clarkdale area in 1997.
Dr. Hargrave touched the lives of many in the community through participation in child advocacy, mentoring and even offering her home as shelter to those in need. Through her work with the Cottonwood Meals-On-Wheels program she met Ferenc Fazekas, her late husband.
Among the joys of her life were her dog Lady Butterscotch (Butter) and the scores of birds, squirrels and quail she loved to feed in her back yard.
She is survived by her brother, Charles E. McLure Jr. (Patsy), and daughters Deanna (Ken) Kemling-Mortara of Tucson, Robynn Wilson Stoneberger (Charlie) Kleck of Flagstaff, and Nancy Wilson (Edgar) Monroy of Jamul, Calif. She had nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren and spent the last year of her life at the Peaks in Flagstaff, where she made numerous new friends among the residents and staff.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Arizona Burn Foundation, PO Box 1329, Phoenix, AZ 85001, or to a charity of choice in her memory.