Mary M. Darnell, 86, of Winslow, died Aug. 5, 2023, in Fremont.
She was a daughter of Peter and Mary (Vlcan) Chvala and was born in Monowi, Nebraska, on Dec. 9, 1936. She graduated from Lynch High School in 1954. She received her teaching certificate and taught until the early 1960s in the Lynch and Monowi area. She married Donald ‘Dude’ Darnell on June 5, 1957, in Lynch, Five children were born to them: Esther, Dave, Guy, Marc and Mary Ellen. They lived in Lynch until moving to the Hooper and Winslow area in the late 1960s. She was a member of St. Rose Catholic Church.
She quit teaching to raise her family. In 1980, she became postmaster of Winslow, retiring after nearly three decades. She was a wonderful gardener. There were always plenty of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, and her yard was filled with colorful flowers during the summer months. She liked watching NASCAR races and baseball on TV. Puzzles were an enjoyable pastime. She was always eager to see her grandkids. She liked attending their sporting events, music programs and any other activities they were involved with. She was happy to babysit, which she did quite often. She was great at throwing tea parties, playing bingo and feeding them homemade goodies. She was an amazing grandma.
She was kind, soft-spoken, and an all-around lovely person. She had a good sense of humor and was able to take a joke. She was a great person to laugh with. She had many friends who enjoyed visiting with her. Her weekly group, which met every Thursday, was something she always looked forward to.
She is survived by her five children, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. They include daughter, Esther Daugherty (Gene); grandson, Josh Daugherty (J.J.); son, Dave Darnell; son, Guy Darnell (Pattie); granddaughter, Kari Buckingham (Ryan); great-grandsons, Tyson, Bryton and Wyatt; great-granddaughter, Pyper; grandson, Brady Darnell (Alex); great grandsons, Carson and Tatum; son, Marc Darnell; daughter, Mary Ellen Darnell; and granddaughters, Mary Elizabeth (Minny) and Mary Grace (Gracy).
Mary was the eldest of seven children. She leaves all six siblings behind. They include brothers, Jim (Kathy), Tom (Jan), Steve (Linda), Pete (Debbie); and sisters, Tess Schwager, and Anna (Dick) Steinbach.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother-in-law, Nook Schwager; sister-in-law, Mary Anne Chvala; brother-in-law, Jack Darnell and his wife Mary Ann, and the family dog Sande, who enjoyed her pancakes. Her husband, Dude, passed away in 1996 and she’d missed him greatly ever since. After he passed, she’d said she was still married – he just wasn’t with her. They enjoyed many things together in life. Watching him win trophies while racing car #54 with Pecenas was an early highlight of their marriage. She also enjoyed sitting on the back of his motorcycle traveling anywhere, attending polka dances, sitting on the patio having a beer, “donating” money to numerous casinos and taking all five kids on a vacation every summer. It could be Worlds of Fun, The Black Hills or camping. Together, they were wonderful parents, we were so fortunate to have them, and they will be missed.
A private funeral will be conducted with burial in the Logan Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to the family. Arrangements by Ludvingsen Mortuary Chapel, Fremont.
