On May 12, 2020, Barbara Jean Daily (nee Graham), age 87, passed away at Brookdale Santa Catalina in Tucson, Arizona following a valiant struggle with cancer. She was beloved by her family and many friends. Her children and grandchildren were blessed to have had the opportunity to spend wonderful times with her over the years, and finally, to say goodbye to her before her death. In addition to extended family and treasured friends in Arizona and Indiana, Barbara is survived by her children: Linda Netherton (Doug Longhurst) of Summerland, British Columbia, Canada; and Stephen Netherton, Douglas Netherton, William Netherton, Jr. (Judi Hartley), and Robert Netherton, all of Tucson. Her brother, Lloyd Graham, Jr. (Anderson, Indiana), predeceased her by a few short weeks. Barbara is also survived by grandsons, Christopher Netherton of Roselle, Illinois, and Evan Johnson and Andrew Longhurst of Vancouver, British Columbia. Her recent joy was the 2019 birth of great-grandson, Levi Jacob Longhurst, to Andrew and partner, Mia Edbrooke.

Barbara was a beautiful woman who loved gardening, cooking, entertaining and conversation. She is remembered for her kind and gentle nature, love of children, and sense of fun. Her children remember their many vacations to the beach in San Diego. Barbara also made sure the family went swimming together virtually every day in the summer, eating the lunches she packed, and having a grand time outdoors. Many evenings Barbara would announce an outing to the drive-in theater, load the popcorn, blankets, dog, 5 kids in pajamas, and an occasional friend or cousin, so everyone could enjoy sitting under the stars watching favorites -- Disney movies and Westerns!

Barbara was born on Sept. 14, 1932 in Anderson, Indiana to Lloyd A. Graham and Beatrice Cornner. Her parents divorced when she was 3, and from age 3 to 7 she lived with her paternal aunt, Olive, uncle Joe Habben, and cousins Edith and John, on a farm outside Kokomo, Indiana. Edith was like a sister to Barbara, and the two remained close throughout life. When her father remarried, Barbara lived with him and his wife, graduated from Anderson High School in 1950, and attended Ball State Teachers College. After a year, she joined her mother in Tucson and resumed her studies at the University of Arizona. There she met her first husband, married, and raised a family until her divorce 18 years later. She then returned to Indiana with her five children, and took a position working for Howard County in Kokomo, where she remained for 28 years until her retirement. In 1972, she met Robert J. Daily, a County Commissioner at the time, and they married shortly thereafter. Together they traveled to Arizona, the Carolinas, Florida, and the Gulf Coast, and enjoyed a long and happy marriage until his death in 2008.

Barbara then returned to Tucson to be close to her sons. During summers, she visited her daughter in Oregon and Canada, enjoying many adventures to the mountains, lakes, and seaside. Barbara lived happily for over 10 years at Tucson’s Fellowship Square, where she made many friends, and volunteered as a Greeter and the Chair of the Red Hats Group. She organized charitable giving to help the needy and participated regularly in Bible Study. As her health began to fail, she moved to Brookdale Santa Catalina, where she made new friends and enjoyed viewing hummingbirds and desert wildlife from her window.

Her family extends its deepest gratitude to the staff of Brookdale Santa Catalina and Casa De La Luz Hospice, and her nurse practitioner, Eric Van der Lelji, for the loving care she received on her final journey. The family will hold a Celebration of Life at a future time and place in the interests of protecting the health and safety of all. At this time of great need, please remember Barbara with a gift in her memory to the Food Bank in your community.