Darrington, Shirley M. (Olson) -- 1924 - 2005

DARRINGTON, OLSON, LAISY, SMITH, FLAK

Posted By: Barry M. Dahl (email)
Date: 11/20/2010 at 14:24:08

Shirley M. Darrington's obituary from the Rochester Post Bulletin, 7 Feb. 2005.

Mabel-- The funeral for Shirley M. Darrington, 80, of rural Mabel, will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Hesper Lutheran Church in Hesper, Iowa, with Revs. Curtis Fox and Davis Darrington officiating. Burial will be in Hesper Lutheran Cemetery.

Mrs. Darrington died Friday (Feb. 4, 2005) in the Gunderson-Lutheran Medical Center in LaCrosse, Wis. Shirley Olson was born April 19, 1924, in Minneapolis and graduated from the Harmony High School in 1942 and then graduated summa cum laude from Winona State College. She taught high school English and drama for two years in Sleepy Eye, Minn., and for a year in Winona. On June 19, 1949, she married Dean W. Darrington in Hesper Lutheran Church in Hesper. The couple farmed in Hesper Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa and have resided there since. She was a member of the Hesper Lutheran Church, where she had served as the Sunday school superintendent for several years and as the church librarian for 25 years. She also served on the Winneshiek Minnowa Player Theater of Decorah, Iowa. She enjoyed drama and speech, reading, ballroom dancing, square dancing, letter writing and flower gardening.

Surviving are her husband; two daughters Julie (Melvin) Laisy of Hopkins, Minn., and Joan (Rich) Smith of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; two sons Steven D. (Donella) of Mabel, and Edward P. (Lois) of Brookings, S.D.; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a sister, Anita (Curtis) Flak of Decorah. She was preceded in death by a brother and a great grandson.

Friends may call from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today at Mengis Funeral home in Mabel and one hour before the service at the church.