Vivian Yvonne Decaro

OZARK… Vivian Yvonne Casey DeCaro, a resident of Ozark, died late Tuesday morning, July 27, 2021, at her home. She was 84.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, July 30, 2021, in the Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Matt Sasser officiating. Burial will follow in Westview Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10:00 until 11:00 A.M. Friday at the funeral home.

Mrs. DeCaro, daughter of the late Morris Dee Casey and Ella Louise Dansby Casey, was a native of Ozark. In 1954, she was one of 10 winners in the Art Linkletter Radio Show Contest and had worked at the Brackin Theatre, the Dale Theatre, and the telephone company. She graduated from Ozark High School in 1955 and married Santo DeCaro from Vineland, New Jersey, who was stationed at Fort Rucker, and traveled with him during his tour in Chinon, France. In 1963, they moved to Lakewood, Ohio and lived there many years.

Mrs. DeCaro moved to Ozark in 1986 with her daughter and worked at Wal Mart. She regularly attended Ozark First Assembly of God Church for many years. She was an avid homemaker and enjoyed writing poetry which she was the recipient of the Editor’s Choice Award in several contests. Mrs. DeCaro was a Christian, a wife, a daughter, mother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend to all who knew her and will be greatly missed. In addition to her parents and husband of forty-nine and a half years, she was preceded in death by her sister, Irma Dean Smith; three brothers-in-law, Roscoe Smith, Larry LaPlant, and Merle Koehler; sisters-in-law, Jane Payne and Loretta Koehler.

Surviving relatives include her daughter, Laura Galloway (Justin), Ozark; sisters, Betty LaPlant, Roswell, New Mexico and Cheryl Casey, Madison, AL; three brothers, Morris D. Casey, Jr. (Jackie), Montgomery, Gene E. Casey, Ozark, and James F. Payne (Brownie), McCalla, AL; two grandchildren, Garion Galloway and Galen Galloway, both of Headland; several nieces, nephews, and cousins.