DARLENE LOUISE WHITE
Darlene Louise White, the third child of Opal Faye Waddell and Glenn Ernest Keller was born on May 2, 1928 at home on a farm northeast of Tingley in Ringgold County, Iowa.
She attended several country schools, including Corn Stalk College, and Monroe No. 5. She attended Kellerton high school her freshman and sophomore years and walked six miles with suitcase in hand to school on Monday mornings where she worked for her room and board at a teacher’s boarding house doing dishes three times a day and anything else that needed done. She shared a room with a teacher, Lorna (Armstrong) Pfander, who became Darlene’s lifelong friend.
In 1946 Darlene and sister Jean worked at the Greater Community Hospital in Creston as nurse aides. Darlene completed her education at Shannon City Consolidated School with the class of 1947.
On May 11, 1947, Darlene married Willard Wayne White, a WWII veteran and a farmer. They were lifelong residents of Union County. In October, 1961 they moved their family into Shannon City where she lived for 52 years.
Darlene served as Treasurer and Board member for the Shannon City cemetery, was a member of American Legion Auxiliary, Rebecca Lodge and Afton VFW Auxiliary. She was also a member of Shannon City United Methodist Church which is now Shannon City Community Church. She faithfully attended the Tingley Meal Site for 26 years.
She is survived by her nine children, Mary (Loren) Long Greenfield, IA, Larry White, Des Moines, IA, Jerry (Sandy) White, Creston, IA, Perry (Sara) White, Red Oak, IA, Johnny (Loretta) White, Mt. Ayr, Marsha (Terry) Cheers, Afton, IA, Marie (Rich) Flynn, Creston,IA, Randy (Paula) White, Creston, IA, Marla (Bernard) Crawford, Mt. Ayr, IA; 16 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren; sisters Doris Crecelius, Bedford, IA, Mildred Maxine (Richard) Franklin of Mount Ayr, IA, and Lila (Jack) Greene, Creston, IA, and brother Marvin (Leora) Keller, Murray, IA; sisters-in-law Eloise White, Creston, IA, Lola (Otis) Brown, from Salem, MO, Marjorie Kennedy, Colorado Springs, CO, and Donna Faye McKnight, Osceola, IA.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Willard, her parents Opal and Glen Keller, two grandsons, Kendall Crawford, and Kyle Bowers, brother Donald (Alice) Keller, sister Jean Campbell, brother-in-law Harold Crecelius, brother Glen Wayne Keller in infancy.
Services were at the Shannon City Community Church Wednesday, July 30, 2014 with Reverend Lila Greene officiating.
Pallbearers were grandsons -Lonnie Long, Kevin and Curtis White, Jesse W. White, Jesse L. White, David White, Jeremy, JR, and John Flynn, Dennis Cheers, Jordan Crawford. Honarary Pallbearers: granddaughters – Lorene Long, Lisa Howard, Toni Oliver, Dani Ronk.
