WEYBRIGHT, Darlene (1926-2023)

WEYBRIGHT

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 4/29/2023 at 11:45:26

Darlene Weybright
(October 28, 1926 - February 15, 2023)

Darlene was born on October 28, 1926 in New Virginia, Iowa to Gertrude Morgan and William Woodford. Her siblings were Dean, Robert, and Fayrene Woodford, all of whom preceded her in death. Darlene attended North High School in Des Moines, where she was on the swim team and played the cello in the orchestra. On April 28, 1943, in Princeton, Missouri, Darlene married her former neighbor, Frederick Thompson. They spent more than 30 happy years together farming and raising livestock, and selling eggs and cream at Van Syock Grocery in Milo and the Liberty Center Store. They started farming in Green Plains and later purchased a farm in 1958 near Liberty Center. They then purchased Bill Goeddes 100 acre farm in Lucas County. They started farming with 2 horses and bought their first tractor in 1944. Children were born: Mary Kathryn (b. 1944) and Stanley Paul (b.1949) who helped their parents on the farm. The family belonged to the Methodist Church in Liberty Center where Darlene taught Sunday School and Bible School. Darlene served her community in several ways over the years. She was WSCS President and held other offices, before they then became United Methodist Women. She was PTA President at Liberty Center School one year and 4-H Leader with Helen Lester for 4 years. She belonged to the Historical Society and volunteered well into her later years. Fred and Darlene’s wedding clothes were donated to the Warren County Historical Society. She served on the election board for many years, so she worked on election days. Additionally, she worked briefly as the secretary at Liberty Center School. After Frederick’s sudden death from a heart attack in 1976, Darlene met Richard (Dick) Weybright, while both were on a tour of the Holy Lands. They married November 11, 1978, in Moline, Illinois. In retirement, the couple traveled between their homes in the Midwest and Florida. In her later years, Darlene continued her life of faith, teaching Sunday School. She enjoyed many hobbies including ceramics and oil painting. She created beautiful landscape paintings of places she and Dick visited, such as scenes of the windmills in Amsterdam and also familiar sites like the round barn in Warren County. Dick and Darlene loved seeing the world and visited dozens of countries and 49 U.S. states. Hawaii was her last trip with Kathy, Roger, Kelly and Lauri. Some of the sites Darlene was most thrilled by include Westminster Abbey, Eiffel Tower, Blarney Castle, Berlin Wall, The Vatican, Tower of Pisa, Pyramids, Great Wall of China, Parthenon, Red Square and the Kremlin, and the site of Jesus’s tomb in Jerusalem. In their later years, Dick and Darlene traveled with Elderhostels. Darlene’s greatest joy was to be surrounded by her family, and she was proud to be able to participate in a five-generation picture with Hallie Unterbrink, great great-granddaughter, Jessica Unterbrink, great-granddaughter, Stephanie Cater, granddaughter, and Stan Thompson, son. After Dick’s passing Darlene spent time living with her children and grandchildren.
Darlene is survived by her daughter, Kathy Carey, and son, Stan (Eileen) Thompson; grandchildren, Kelly Carey, Lauri Carey, Stephanie (Tom) Cater, Brian (Kathi) Thompson; great-grandchildren, Jessica (Isaac) Unterbrink, Jill Cater, Nate Thompson, Adam Thompson, Ryan Carey; great great-grandchild, Hallie Unterbrink. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred Thompson; husband, Dick Weybright; parents, William Woodford and Gertrude Hall, her siblings, and her son-in-law, Roger Carey. Memorial contributions may be made to Liberty Center United Methodist Church, 2207 160th Avenue, Liberty Center, IA 50145 in Darlene’s name. [This memorial is provided by Overton Funeral Home, 501 West Ashland Ave., Indianola, Iowa, http://www.overtonfuneral.com/]