Carol A. Comito, 75, was born March 19, 1951 in the Philadelphia area. She passed away suddenly of a heart attack at her home in Washington, D.C. on July 27, 2026. I knew Carol during the five years she was on the board, mostly serving as president. The best description of Carol I can give is that she was an astute and politically savvy force of nature with a wonderful sense of humor, who loved making things happen.

     She had a strong personality and always expressed her opinions, but also listened well to others. She did not suffer fools gladly and offended some people with her direct Philly style. But she always focused on helping people and was determined to improve the world for others by organizing.

      Carol demanded a lot of people around her, but no more than she would demand from herself. She single-handedly planned the National Federation of Democratic Women’s annual convention in Tempe in 2018, tapping her connections at the Tempe Chamber of Commerce and a local hotel, and arranging the banquet, DJ, setup for the silent auction, and tours for those who wanted to see the sights around Phoenix. Attendees were happy with how smoothly the event was executed, and everyone had a good time at the party after the business part of the convention.

      Of the AZDW board members, Cathy Hozian and I worked most closely with Carol as she strove to modernize the group’s mission and make it more relevant in the state, setting the tone for future boards. We also traveled to see her in Washington, D.C. and enjoyed spending time at the National Woman’s Democratic Club in their historic mansion and event center.

      Carol never met a stranger and loved to engage people in meaningful conversations. I learned from her sister-in-law that during her 30-year career at Bell Atlantic Telephone in Philadelphia (which eventually became Verizon), she was the main impetus in forming an employee labor union, and performed that role along with her job. I can just imagine what that was like for a woman in the ’70s and ’80s, but she was fearless.

      She was involved in many women’s business improvement groups, including in Philadelphia and in Phoenix. She organized and led the nonprofit Women’s Conference for 10 years in greater Phoenix, and served on the board of the LGBTQ organization one n ten, which enhances the lives of LGBTQ youth.

      When she moved to Fountain Hills, she began her studies at Arizona State University, where she earned a bachelor’s and master’s in social work. She then began working for ASU as an academic advisor, helping students to plot a course in life. When she retired after 17 years, the students she advised gave her a plush Snoopy—one of her favorite characters—and a party. I think she liked Snoopy because he enjoyed life and didn’t let sad-sack Charlie Brown get in his way in doing what he loved.

      Carol was on the board of the National Woman’s Democratic Club and later was invited to become Vice President of Diversity and Outreach for the National Women’s Political Caucus. In her biography on the NWPC website, she said that she was most proud of the Fountain Hills Liberal Ladies, where she served as the co-chair for 12 years. The group met once a month for both socializing and programming, with 125-150 women attending. They swayed local elections and helped Mayor Ginny Dickey to get elected in 2018.

       Carol was in the midst of final preparations for NWDC's largest fundraiser of the year, the Annual Summer BBQ with carnival games, when she fell ill. She had been working with a group of young interns to run the carnival, something I’m sure she took pleasure in because she was fond of young people.

      Those of us who were friends with Carol will miss her and her phone calls, which were a blend of humor and angst over the current political environment. She made an impact in the world for us and the many people whose lives she touched. She told family members that she didn’t want a funeral. Her body was cremated, and her dear niece is settling her estate and bringing her ashes back to the Philadelphia area.

      The NWDC wrote a tribute email about her, dedicated their BBQ event to her, and will be hosting a celebration of life in Carol’s honor on Sunday, Sept. 13, from 3-5 p.m. The group plans to set up a Zoom for those who can’t be there. They are raising money for a memorial plaque that will be placed in the historic home’s garden seating area.

 

Treasurer Toni Denis