HGTV Legend Dead at 97: Carol Duvall Was 'Queen of Crafts'

Duvall cemented herself as the 'Queen of Crafts' with a 56-year TV career that included ABC's 'The Home Show' and HGTV's 'The Carol Duvall Show.'

By Allison Schonter

Carol Duvall, the host of HGTV's The Carol Duvall Show who was well-known as the "Queen of Crafts," has died. Duvall passed away at a senior living facility in Traverse City, Michigan on Monday, July 31, according to her obituary. She was 97.

Born in Milwaukee in 1926, Duvall moved to Grand Rapids as a child, according to the Traverse City Record-Eagle. After attending Michigan State University, she got her start in broadcasting in 1951 at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids after she and a friend auditioned for a children's show. In 1962, Duvall began working for WWJ-TV (now WDIV-TV, Local 4) in Detroit, where she spent 18 years in various positions ranging from anchor to producer before moving onto ABC's The Home Show in 1988. That series, which saw her making different craft projects, made Duvall a household name, and after The Home Show ended its six-year run in 1994, Duvall moved onto HGTV's The Carol Duvall Show. The series ran for 11 seasons until 2005, when it moved to the DIY network and ran until 2009. On the show, Duvall presented tutorials for crafts like jewelry making, origami and more, and was also joined by celebrity guests.

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Amid news of her passing, many have paid tribute to the "Queen of Crafts," with author Carol Heppner writing that Duvall "was an inspiration to many of us in the creative arts products industry. She will be missed." Somebody else shared that Duvall "was a regular institution in my house growing up. She had fabulous ideas and her soothing voice made me feel so comfortable. Even if you weren't a crafty person, you still enjoyed just listening to her. Rest in joy Carol." On Facebook, one person remembered her as "a trailblazer in making being creative acceptable, for bringing 'crafts' to another level and opening my own eyes to the many artistic mediums out there and the amazing people that have mastered them." That person went on to thank Duvall "for all you brought to this world...Rest in peace, and craft on with an endless supply of materials in the great beyond!"

In addition to her 56-year TV career, Duvall also wrote two books, 1972's Wanna Make Something Out of It? and 2007's Paper Crafting with Carol Duvall. Duvall had been living at a senior living center at the time of her passing. Flowers can be sent to her family through Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

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