Carolyn Holocher Duigon

Carolyn Holocher Duigon, 86, beloved wife of Theodore “Ted” Duigon, passed away peacefully at home in her sleep on September 26, 2025. Carolyn was born to John and Mary (Reinersman) Holocher in Covington, KY, on November 21, 1938. She grew up in Columbus, OH, with her older siblings Mary Joan Graham and John Francis Holocher. Carolyn was raised in Catholic schools, graduating from St. Mary of the Springs Academy in 1956. She continued her education with training in court stenography and worked for Gingher & Christianson Law Firm. It was during those years that she met Ted, a student at The Ohio State University on a blind date in 1959. Their “$5 budget” dates included Buckeye football and basketball games and musicals or movies. On the night of Ted’s college graduation, Carolyn was presented with an engagement ring, fitted with her mother’s wedding diamond, on December 15, 1961. By March of ‘62, Uncle Sam called Ted to his army, but Ted chose Officer Training School to commission in the U.S. Air Force in late June.

On July 7, 1962, Ted and Carolyn were united in Holy Matrimony at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Columbus, OH. It was a joyous day with family and friends. Her brother, John, gave her away in a beautiful silk gown which was worn by her youngest daughter thirty years later. Their “honeymoon” was a road trip across many states, a first for Carolyn, to Biloxi, MS, to their first duty station at Keesler AFB. She would go on to live in Virginia, Arizona, Alabama, and longest of all, in Texas.

Carolyn was a beautiful, loving mother to her four girls, Cindy, Julie, Laurie and Stephanie. Beginning in 1963 and every other year through 1969, being a mother became the purpose of her life. She lived her vocation as a wife and mother, providing an example to her daughters of seeking, and then following, God’s will for her life. Their memories are filled with her kisses and hugs, playing piano and singing songs, homemade dinners, pancakes on Saturday mornings, quizzing them to study for tests, birthday parties, praying the rosary on her bed, her sewing prom, wedding, and bridesmaids dresses, and her volunteering at every school and church they attended. She danced ballet en pointe, was an accomplished pianist, and fiercely competitive at cards, dominoes and board games. The most precious gift she gave her family was the sharing of her faith in Jesus Christ and devotion to Our Lady, and going to Mass every Sunday without fail.

Carolyn rejoined the work force when the family first moved to Schertz in 1974 as all four girls were then in school. She loved being a teacher’s aide at Wiederstein Elementary, assisting struggling readers with one-on-one attention. She later became a parish secretary in Burkburnett, TX, and the school secretary at Dobie Middle School when the Air Force sent them back to Randolph AFB. This was the first return move to their home on Antler Drive in Schertz, the home that would become the heart of their future extended family, even to this day. Carolyn was a dedicated Air Force wife for 30 years, volunteering in many ways with the Officers’ Wives Club and supporting Ted’s work and AF family for whatever was needed. Carolyn was a gracious hostess, whether offering her homemade lasagna to school faculty or Super Nachos for squadron Super Bowl parties. As the heart of the family, she loved cooking big holiday dinners with many of her mother’s recipes and baking all varieties of Christmas treats, like bourbon balls and Buckeyes.

After one last out-of-state assignment, Carolyn and Ted’s final move brought them back to Antler Drive. Adding on a large family room transformed the house into what would be THE gathering place as weddings and grandchildren filled her heart and home to overflowing. The joy of RV travels and her nine grandchildren filled Carolyn and Ted’s retirement years. Upgrading to bigger and better RVs made trips to visit the kids and other family members up north even more enjoyable. Carolyn sat in the co-pilot seat to Ohio, New England–up to Maine, and even all the way to interior Alaska and back. She was a master of packing and utilizing every square inch of storage in the most efficient way possible in their mobile home-away-from-home.

Other than her family, Carolyn’s outward expression of Christ’s love through service to others was her greatest legacy. Parishioners since the late 1980s, she was most active at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Selma, TX. Carolyn participated as a member and president of St. Ann’s Society, ACTS team, Renew/Small Christian Communities, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Lector, playing piano for the Tuesday Novena, Welcoming Committee, hand-embroidering baptismal garments, Perpetual Adoration scheduler, and Faithful Friends. Her prayer life included intentions for all of her family and many, many friends. Her memory of birthdays and anniversaries never failed, always getting cards in the mail so everyone knew she remembered and loved them. Her prayer books were stuffed with holy cards of loved ones passed so they were not forgotten in her prayers. Her faith was never hidden; she outwardly expressed it by the way she treated others with thoughtfulness, generosity, charity and kindness. Her soul is entrusted now to our Lord’s mercy; may she rest in peace.

Carolyn was predeceased by her parents John and Mary, sister Joanie and husband Joe Graham, and brother John

She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Theodore M. Duigon; four daughters, Cynthia Marie (Kevin) Koepp, Julia Anne (Mark) Jackson, Laurie Jean (Darrell) Perkins, Stephanie Lynn (Raul) Rosales; grandchildren, Jeffrey (Maria) Perkins, Colleen Perkins (Luke) Hoelzeman, Luke (Spencer) Duigon, Shannon Perkins, Claire Rosales, Olivia Rosales, Garrett Koepp, Theodore “Theo” Rosales and Miriam Rosales; great-grandchildren, Elizabeth and Theodore “Teddy” Duigon; sisters-in-law, Martha Duigon Smith, Judy Duigon Westfall, Debbie Duigon Perrin, and Rose Ann Holocher; as well as many nieces and nephews. 

A Visitation will be held from 5:00pm - 8:00pm on Wednesday, October 01, 2025 at Schertz Funeral Home Chapel. The Funeral Mass will begin at 11:00am on Thursday, October 02, 2025 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church of Selma, Texas. Interment will take place immediately after Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help - Selma 2 Cemetery.