William Arthur Darner (1908-1988)

DARNER, JENKINS, SCHWARTZ

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/2/2022 at 15:38:08

From Nevada Journal March 15, 1988 (page 1)

DEATHS

WILLIAM ARTHUR DARNER

William Arthur Darner died Wednesday, March 9, 1988, at Missouri Valley IA.

He was born March 17, 1906, in Oxford NE. His parents were John R. and Emma P. Darner. For most of his life he lived in Nebraska and Iowa. In 1926, he graduated from Lexington NE High School. It was at this point that Mr. Darner became interested in retailing, having worked for the Schmidt Bros. Clothing Store and the Lembach Variety Store in Lexington and having attended business school in Chicago IL.

On June 8, 1935, he married Birchie Virginia Jenkins of Gothenberg NE and, after living in Omaha for a short time, started Darner's Variety Store in Logan IA. The original one building store was expanded later to include a dry goods store and hardware. For a short time the Darners operated a variety store in Dunlap IA and for several years owned the Maplehurst Hotel in Schuyler NE.

In 1957 the Darners, now including daughter Patty and son Tommy, moved to Nevada IA where they operated their hotel, the Story Hotel, and dining room. While in Nevada, Mr. Darner was a director of the Nevada Savings and Loan Assn. and he continued as a director after its merger with the Ft. Dodge Savings and Loan. Mr. and Mrs. Darner returned to Logan in 1972 and continued to run Darner's Variety until it was sold to Gene and Lois Chambers. The store operated as Darner's Variety for 37 years.

Mr. Darner was active in a number of church and civic affairs in Logan. He was a lifelong member of the Christian Church. He was baptized in 1921 at the Cozad NE Christian Church. He served as Sunday School superintendent for close to 15 years, as a teacher of the men's Bible class as a member of the church choir, and as a deacon, trustee and elder of the church. He was very active in Kiwanis, serving as president of the Logan Chapter and lieutenant governor of the Iowa-Nebraska District. Additionally, he served on the school board and was the Salvation Army representative for a number of years, and was president of the Logan Chamber of Commerce. While in Logan he became a member of the Masonic Lodge.

Mr. Darner's survivors include his wife, Birchie; his daughter, Patricia, and her husband Joseph Schwartz; his son, Tom, and his wife, Mary; his five grandchildren, Jeff Schwartz, Cindy Kinzey, Chris Schwartz, Michael Darner and Rebecca Darner, his brother, Frank Darner, and several other relatives.

Funeral services were Friday, March 11, at 2 p.m. at the Christian Church, Logan, with Rev. Robert Evans officiating.

Music was by Mrs. Merril McElwain. Bearers were Gene Chambers, Howard Cox, Earl Clausen, Lester Moss, Richard Nelson and Gene Benson.

Graveside services were Saturday, March 12, at 2 p.m. at Cozad Cemetery, Cozad NE.