Rebecca Ann DeGrand (Dufek)

Rebecca was born Sept. 22, 1971, in Milwaukee, Wis., to Patrick and Jeanette (Opalewski) DeGrand. She was the eldest of three siblings. The family moved to Escanaba and Rebecca attended Escanaba High School and Northern Michigan University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in zoology and marine biology. She later moved to the Pacific Northwest, settling in the Seattle area, and went on to receive a master’s degree from the University of Washington for teaching. On July 16, 2000, she married Harley Dufek at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Wash. Shortly after their marriage, she was diagnosed with NF2, a tumor disorder characterized by masses that grow along the nerves in the lining of the brain and spinal column. These tumors can impact many functions including balance, hearing, swallowing, sight, facial nerve function, mobility and cognition. Rebecca was a fighter with an incredible drive to survive through nine brain and spinal surgeries.

Always an adventurous spirit, Rebecca was an avid SCUBA diver and world traveler, going to many places to enjoy the culture and undersea life, including Belize, Mexico, Africa and more. She also enjoyed cold water diving in the Puget Sound and the Great Lakes. Rebecca hiked throughout the Midwest, Pacific Northwest and around the world for as long as she could. She attempted the 19,341-foot summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa, despite having severe balance and vision issues due to NF2. A documentary, Pole Pole: the Rebecca Dufek Story, was made about her trek and her mission for the climb to raise awareness for NF2.

Rebecca was athletically gifted from an early age. In her teens, she competed in the Upper Peninsula Winter Olympics, earning a bronze medal for cross country skiing. In her adulthood, her athletic training took on a deeper purpose to support research and awareness for many diseases. She completed several full marathons, half marathons and other running and skating races and dozens of stair climb events all in support of various causes. She served for years as a Team in Training captain for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This was a cause close to her heart as she also survived Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in her early 20s.

In 2010, Rebecca received the Gold’s Gym Most Inspirational Member Award and traveled to their national conference to speak and accept the award.

Rebecca lived her life to the absolute fullest, with a unique understanding of how precious life is. In her time here, she not only fought to experience the things on her own bucket list, but she uplifted others, serving as a beacon of hope and support. Her influence, kindness and positive spirit will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved her.

Rebecca is survived by her parents, her siblings Scott (Denise) DeGrand and Michelle (DJ Hammond) DeGrand, and her nephew and niece Leonardo and Sienna DeGrand. She is also survived by many loving aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Clarence and Shirley (Van Effen) DeGrand and Bernice (formerly Opalewski, nee Lewis) and Leon Wellman, her uncle Steve Opalewski, her aunt Wilhelmina Barron, as well as cousins Elizabeth Barron, Trinity Carlisle and Luke Bruce.

Memorial services celebrating Rebecca’s life will be held with friends and family in Upper Michigan and Oregon. Friends and loved ones are asked to give a donation to their favorite charity in memory of the important work Rebecca carried forward in her life.