DE LONG, Carolyn M.

Daily Miner, Kingman, AZ - Published on April 11, 2012 - Carolyn M. De Long was called to be with her Savior on Sunday, April 8, 2012, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Carol was born March 5, 1943, in Farmersville, La., to Leon and Ethel McKinnie. When she was eight years old, she moved to Odessa, Texas, with her family and in 1960 moved to Kingman. In that same year she met and married her husband, Ron De Long of Kingman and they had three children. In 1968, Carol and her family moved to Winslow, Ariz., where she began her professional career. Carol worked most of her life in public service throughout the State of Arizona. From 1968 to 1972, Carol worked for the Winslow Municipal Court as a Court Clerk and as an ID Technician for the Winslow Police Department. In 1972, Carol returned to Kingman where she went to work for the Kingman Police Department. She served as a Police Officer, School Resource Officer and Detective handling sex crime investigations. Carol also was the original coordinator of the Kingman Police Cadet Program, which started in 1974 under then Police Chief Carroll Brown. She spent much of her time helping to introduce the youth of Kingman to law enforcement and its functions in society, and preparing them to be productive citizens. As part of her career she developed the first "Trick or Treat Patrol" which is still in use today by the Police Department. Carol also coordinated many activities for the cadets that included trips to junior police academies, hiking trips to Havasupai Falls, formation of the Police Cadet Honor Guard, the Annual Spook House in downtown Kingman, and numerous classes and programs through the years to introduce youth to law enforcement. Carol was appointed as the City of Kingman Magistrate position in 1982 and held that office until 1986. In 1986 she accepted a position as an Administrative Law Judge for the Arizona Department of Economic Security - Office of Appeals in Phoenix. She held that position until her retirement in 1997. Carol was a past member of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 16, and the D.E.S. Tri-State Investigators Association. After retirement, Carol moved back to Kingman where she enjoyed the outdoors working in her yard and garden. She enjoyed spending time with her family, taking care of her many pets and homemaking. Her house was open to any animal or pet that happened by. She was a proud member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Kingman. The void in the lives of those that she touched is indescribable. Carol is survived by her husband Ron De Long of Kingman; her brother, Wayne (Gwen) McKinnie of Little Rock, Ark.; two sons, Ron (Adrea) De Long of Kingman and Matt De Long of Kingman; her daughter, Dawna De Long of Glendale, Ariz.; and three grandsons, Brandon, Domonick and Dalton, all of Kingman. Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Leon McKinnie and Ethel Eldridge; and her brother, Ben McKinnie. A memorial service will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, April 12, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 302 E. Spring St., Kingman. A reception will follow the service in the Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, Carol and her family request that donations be made to the 100 Club of Arizona or the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank in Kingman.