Mary Newell Darner, age 87, of Cherokee Village, passed
away on Monday, February 6, 2012 at Fulton County Hospital in Salem, AR,
where she had been treated for pneumonia and kidney disease since her
admittance on Thursday, February 2. Mary and her husband, Newell, were
residents of Cherokee Village since 1987, when they moved from their home in
Edwardsville, Illinois.
Mary was the middle daughter of five, and was born on
December 15, 1924 in Loveland, Colorado to Leland and Edna Newell. Her
family eventually settled in Columbus, Ohio where she graduated from South
High School in 1942. She and Newell Darner met at the U.S. Army Depot in
Granite City, Illinois and were married on June 18, 1944. They moved to
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where they built their own home, and where their
first three children were born. After moving back to Illinois, two other
children were born as they settled in Granite City for almost twenty years.
During that time, Mary was a Brownie, Girl Scout, and Cub Scout leader, the
president of several PTA's, and the secretary at the elementary school where
her children attended. She was involved in the Niedringhaus United Methodist
Church and other organizations and community activities, and also was the
chaperone to Kathy Oros (now Reed) during her reign as Miss Illinois in
1965-66.
Mary and Newell moved to Edwardsville, IL in 1972 where
she was working at the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Alumni
Office as the executive assistant. She attended the university taking
courses in business and the humanities. In 1987, Cherokee Village became
their home, and she became active in the Cherokee Village United Methodist
Church and served as president of the Cherokee Village Women's Club in the
1990's.
Mary was a loving sister to Aggie Selby of Charlotte
(NC), Virginia Whaling (deceased), Edna Waters (deceased) and Frances
Knobeloch of Granite City (IL), and "beautiful Aunt Mary" to Lee Selby (Greenwich,CT),
Jan Johnson (Charlotte, NC), Kay White (Woodbridge, VA), Leslye Elbert
(Collinsville, IL), Carol Carr (Evansville, IN), Frank Waters (Brookline,
MO), Joanne Taylor (Lenexa, KS), Robyn Hartfield (Overland Park, KS), Bruce
Knobeloch (Hollister, MO), Sue Biggerstaff (Wright City, MO), Maryellen
Brake (Godfrey, IL), and their children. Marian Henderson and Linda Racette
of Cherokee Village and Bill Henley of Seaford, VA also survive.
She is survived by her loving husband of 67 years,
Leslie Newell Darner of Cherokee Village, and four children: Leslie Karen of
Arlington, VA, Kathryn Quinn of Lakewood, WA, Leland Kendall (and Terry)of
Lakewood, CO, and Lawrence Keith of Cherokee Village. A son, Loren Kirk,
died in 1982. Six grandchildren and their spouses, and seven
great-grandchildren also survive: Derek Quinn (Tanya, and daughter Brooke)
of Roy, WA; Jessica Perez (Dan, and son Alexander) of Centennial, CO; Heidi
Hart (Geoff, and son Gavin) of Kent, WA); Rebekka Darner (daughter Karina)
of Gainesville, FL); Jake Darner (Katey, and son Mason) of Berthold, CO; and
Sarah Gurule (Mykel, and daughter Kaiya and son Shane) of Virginia Beach,
VA.
The family is very grateful for the loving care and
friendship provided to Mary during her illness over the past 4 years - Ellie
Mae Bradley and Bobbie Jaggars of Cherokee Village; Dr. George Jackson and
his staff; Community Home Health Care of Arkansas administrative, nursing
and health staff; Wound Healing Clinic of Baxter County Regional Hospital;
and Cherokee Village United Methodist Church family, particularly the United
Methodist Women, Jennie Lewis, and Rev. Jimmy Anderson. Thank you with love
to those listed and unlisted.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in Mary Darner's name to the
Cherokee Village United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 420, CV 72525. A memorial
service will be held at a later date.
