Dee Linda Daly, 67

Dee Linda Daly, 67, of Lillington, N.C., formerly of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, passed away Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, at home in her son’s arms.

In the 67 years that Dee lived, she was so many things to so many people. She was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was also a follower of Christ, a trusted friend and confidante and the biggest champion of her children and grandchildren.

Indeed, Dee lived a life of sacrifice and unwavering dedication to her children and grandchildren — a truly remarkable feat, given her childhood. At 14, Dee’s mother surrendered her (but not her other siblings) to foster care, never allowing Dee to return home. But in a true testament to Dee’s heart posture and ability to forgive like Jesus, Dee loved her mother unconditionally and spent the next 40 years trying to forge a relationship.

When Dee began her own family as a young woman, she gave her three children the love and protection that she had been denied. Later, as a young, divorced mother, Dee worked two, sometimes three, jobs at a time to provide for her children. Her favorite job was as a cabinet finisher, where she sanded, stained and varnished cabinetry to perfection.

In 1996, Dee suffered a terrible fall at work, which forced her into a rehabilitation facility for a year. Dee, however, emerged from treatment with the same unwavering dedication to her now young adult children that she had always had. Her arms — and her home — remained open to her children and grandchildren for the next 17 years.

In 2014, Dee sacrificed her home, her friends and her community in Idaho to move to North Carolina for her son, Eli, and his young family. For the next 10 years — the last 10 of her life — Dee devoted herself to caring for Eli’s three little girls. But Dee was more than a caregiver. She was “Grammy.” And Grammy spent every holiday, birthday, school concert, movie night, playground trip, special occasion and not-so-special occasion with her three young granddaughters. Her unconditional love, infectious laughter and celebration of their smallest successes filled their cups in the most beautiful and necessary way.

Although Dee will be profoundly missed, her unconditional love will surely continue to fill the cups of all those who loved her.

Dee was preceded in death by her treasured grandson, Joshua Laughlin Brandt and her beloved son, Jason Delbert Swarm.

Dee is survived by her daughter, Harvest Klinge (Bart); son Eli Gumm (Stephanie); sister Cindee Scholfield (Jerry); her six grandchildren, Cassandra Hansel (Corey), Tyler Brandt, Christian Brandt, Elle Gumm, Emery Gumm and Eris Gumm; and her two great-grandchildren, Andrew Hansel and Jade Hansel.

A memorial service will be held in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and announced at a later date.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you also may be where I am.” — John 14:1-3.

Arrangements by O’Quinn-Peebles-Phillips Funeral Home & Crematory, Lillington. Online condolences at www.oppfh.com.