Edith Clair Darley

Edith Clair Darley, born October 25, 1922 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, passed away on May 29, 2013 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her parents, May (Shinault) and Charles Yarrington, sister, Eleanor Wessels, and brother, Charles Yarrington, preceded her in death.Edith graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a BA in English from the University of Arkansas in1944. Edith met her husband, Frederic L. Darley, at the university where he directed her in a theater production and they performed in plays together.Following their courtship, by letter, during World War II, Edith and Fred were married August 11, 1945, celebrating their honeymoon as the war ended. They moved to Berkeley, California then to Iowa City, Iowa, residing there for 15 years. In 1961 they moved to Rochester, MN where Fred joined the staff of the Mayo Clinic as a speech pathologist in the Dept of Neurology. Edith and Fred welcomed many Mayo fellows and families into their home and lives, treasuring these friends, among so many life-long friendships, in the years that followed. Edith was widowed in 1999. Edi and Fred created a loving home and memorable adventures for their children and grandchildren. They both loved music and shared endless hours gardening, raising food, planting trees, and tending their cabin and woodlands near Grand Marais, MN. Edith supported many wilderness and wildlife conservation groups, writing letters and speaking up for causes needing a sincere and caring voice. She loved her Lord and served as a Deacon, as a Stevens Minister, and a committed member of First Presbyterian Church for over 50 years. Edith was active in Schooners Club, church circles, and in P.E.O., always an advocate for helping women better their lives. From 1972 1982 she was employed as a Social Studies Resource Aide at John Marshall High School, where she offered intellectual stimulation, a kind heart, and listening ears to students. Edith lived at Gramercy Park in NW Rochester for 15 years where she continued to actively garden, organized an exercise group and personally welcomed all new residents. In July 2012, she moved to Llanfair Retirement Community, in Cincinnati, to live closer to family. To her last moment on earth, Edith remained a gracious, generous person with a wonderful sense of humor, endearing herself to nurses and staff, as she had to friends and family throughout her life. Edith is survived by her three children, Charles Darley (Sally), Iowa City, Iowa, Claire Darley, Cincinnati OH and Susan Darley-Hill (Brian), Duluth MN. Her 8 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren live in Madison, WI, Chicago, IL, Cincinnati, OH, Flagstaff, AZ, Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. A memorial service, filled with Ediths favorite music, will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, 512 3rd St. SW, in Rochester, on Saturday, July 20, 2013 at 11 a.m.The family will greet friends at 10 a.m. at the church, preceding the service. Lunch to follow. Memorial donations may be made to Llanfair Christmas Fund, Llanfair Retirement Community,1701 Llanfair Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45224, to the First Presbyterian Church, Rochester, MN or to a wildlife conservation organization of your choice.