Frances DeHart

Chapel Hill, NC – Frances Roberts DeHart, age 93, died peacefully on Monday, August 24, 2026, surrounded by her children and their spouses. She was born on July 14, 1933, to the late John Hughes Roberts and Sara Herbert Roberts.

Born in Durham, North Carolina, Frances was raised in Chase City, Virginia. She graduated from Mary Washington College in 1954 with a degree in psychology and education. She met William “Bill” DeHart, then a student at the United States Naval Academy, on a blind date. They married in May 1956 and shared 57 cherished years together until Bill’s death in 2013.

Together, Frances and Bill raised three children. Throughout Bill’s military career, which spanned more than two decades, Frances was a devoted Navy wife, mother, and homemaker. She lovingly cared for their family through frequent moves to posts throughout the United States and abroad, as well as through Bill’s many extended deployments. After Bill retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain, they returned to his home state of North Carolina and settled in Chapel Hill in 1980.

Frances created warmth and beauty wherever she lived. A gracious and gifted homemaker, she loved to cook, sew, and make each house feel like home. She delighted in puzzles, card games, word games, and chess, which she enjoyed teaching to and playing with her children and grandchildren. An accomplished pianist, Frances played music ranging from classical pieces and hymns to songs from Broadway musicals.

Frances possessed a lifelong love of learning. Over the years, she enrolled in community college courses in subjects such as computers, tax preparation, and real estate simply for the joy of gaining new knowledge. Before Bill’s death, the two enjoyed sailing along the North Carolina coast and traveling throughout the United States. As a deeply faithful and dedicated member of the Church of the Holy Family in Chapel Hill, Frances generously shared her time and many talents with the church community over the years.

One of Frances’ greatest joys was her family and she offered great care and support for all her family members. She was a treasured sister and aunt and delighted in the lives of her nieces and nephews and their families over the years. Frances loved her children and their spouses well. She took immense pride in her five beloved grandchildren and cherished the time she shared with the three great-grandsons she met before she began experiencing dementia in 2019. Three additional great-grandsons joined the family in 2026 a fact that would have brought her enormous happiness.

Frances will be remembered for her kindness, grace, quiet strength, exceptional manners and thoughtful presence. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Frances is survived by her sister, Margaret R. Thomas; her brother, J. Hughes Roberts Jr. (Margaret); her sons, J. Peyton DeHart (Jane) and William DeHart Jr. (Vickie); and her daughter, Sara DeHart Young (Scott). She is also survived by her five grandchildren: Erich DeHart (Gia), Sarah Jane Whisenhunt (Phil), Ashlyn DeHart (Max), Savannah Smith (Chad), and Sophie Speir (Alex); and her six great-grandsons: Logan DeHart, Chase DeHart, Rambo Whisenhunt, Peyton Whisenhunt, Max Graham IV, and Emerson Smith.

A celebration of Frances’s life will be held on September 26, 2026 at 2pm at the Church of the Holy Family located at 200 Hayes Road in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Fisher House Foundation (https://www.fisherhouse.org), Frances’ favorite charity supporting military families.