Barbara Jean Degler

Barbara Jean McCarthy Degler died peacefully at age 92 on June 18, 2025. She was born October 3, 1932 in Cleveland, Ohio. She was daughter to Frank and Miriam McCarthy and older sister to Denny. A defining life moment was Denny’s death at age five leukemia. She remembered and loved him all her life.

At age 22, Barbara learned the U.S. Foreign Service was recruiting. Off she went. She spent two years in post-war Paris in the U.S. Embassy Code Room. She traveled throughout Europe, enjoyed Paris life, learned French, and discovered, as she said, she was a “Citizen of the World.” Barbara returned to the U.S. to work for the Secretary of the Navy at the Pentagon. Adventures continued, including traveling to Hawaii to support an episode of “This is Your Life” that began the fundraising to build the Arizona Memorial.

She married Bud Degler, then had three children. As a Navy family, they traveled, living in Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Hawaii. In Hawaii, she was Art Director for the Navy’s annual fundraising musical production. She also had a backstage view of the movie Tora! Tora! Tora!, including dancing in the Officers Club scene and watching, up close, filming of bombing reenactments.

After Navy retirement, they settled in the D.C. area where she began her path as a writer with her first fiction novel. Also, true to form, she traveled–in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Europe, and Great Britain. She opened her home and heart to many of her children’s friends, overseeing school snow day “Snow Frolics,” Homecoming floats, band practices, and youth sports. Her “most important and favorite activity” was being Mom.

Change blew in, including a divorce and empty-nesting. Barbara rose to the challenge. She bought a townhouse; got her AA degree; became Fairfield Inn by Marriott’s Consumer Affairs Manager; and– of course – traveled, adding the Middle East and China to her “been there” list.

After leaving Marriott, Barbara led customer service training of hotel staff in Sochi, Russia. Following the Bosnian War, she worked for the OSCE as an Election Supervisor/Monitor, carrying out seven election missions in Bosnia, Serbia, and Kosovo. This led to a lifetime of friendships with other supervisors, interpreters, and drivers, and to creating an annual “Boz Bunch” reunion.

At 70, she became a volunteer in Disaster Services for the American Red Cross, responding to tornados, floods, 9/11, and hurricanes. She also worked at headquarters in International Tracing Services, assisting families separated by disaster to reconnect.

Her creative side continued as she authored five and published three* fiction novels: Claws of the Eagle*, The Search for Katie Muldoon*, Bosnia Mosaic*, The Old Oaken Bucket, and a fictionalized biography, The Tunnel.

In 2013 Barbara moved to Georgia. After a stroke in 2017, she lived with Denise and Dean, then moved to Assisted Living. She and Denise often had lunch and “milkshake visits.” Duane and Lisa took evening walks with her via iPad. She smiled when Doug and Laura called saying “Hi Babs!” She delighted seeing Casey become an adult, and Shayne grow from baby to exuberant boy.

She is preceded in death by her brother Dennis McCarthy, mother Miriam Knox McCarthy, father Frank McCarthy, and beloved cousins Clayton and Rosemonde Burgess. She is survived by her children Duane Degler, Denise Dozier, and Douglas Degler; their spouses Lisa Battle, Dean Dozier, and Laura Degler (respectively); her grandson Casey Dozier; and great grandson, Shayne Revis.

A Celebration of Life will be held on August 24, 2025 at 10:30am in the Auditorium at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD. There will be a reception afterward with light hors d'oeuvres. If you are interested in attending, please send an email to Denise Dozier at djmdozier@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Women for Women International, Doctors Without Borders, and the International Rescue Committee, all worthy causes close to her heart.