Darlene Joyce Meredith, 78, Delphos, was born July 30, 1942 in Lincoln, KS to Jay and Mabel (Richardson) Smith. She passed away Monday, May 24, 2021.
Darlene attended Minneapolis High School and was active in 4-H while in school. She married Thomas Meredith on October 10, 1959 in Minneapolis, KS. Tom and Darlene were inseparable. They truly loved life and spending time together. They had four children of their own and through Darlene’s selfless love and care for generations of children in the Delphos area, she helped to raise many others. She not only provided childcare for over 50 years, she showered the children with her love and affection, often attending countless events in the community. Darlene was also a Boy Scout leader and involved in the St. Jude Bike-A-Thon, raising money for hospitalized children.
Survivors include her husband, Tom; son, Ron and his wife Jacque Meredith of Hulbert, Oklahoma; daughters, Pam and her husband Keith Cole of Minneapolis, Kansas and Lori and her husband Larry Geist of Natoma, Kansas; grandchildren, Brian Cole, Sabetha, KS, Matt (Janet) Meredith, Tahlequah, OK, Luke (Laura) Geist, Soldier, KS, Mitch (Kara) Meredith, Hulbert, OK, and Lyndsey (Logan) Brown, Maize, KS; great-grandchildren, Jarrett, Maverick, Navy and Lemi Meredith, Lakely and Tennessee Meredith, Garrett, Kylen, and Haddlea Kilpatrick, Kaedin, Kael, and Kynleigh Lamas, and Henry Brown; brothers, Jay Smith, Robert Smith, and Walter (Sheree) Smith; sisters, LaVaughn McClintock and Jaylin Kirby; special friend Madelon Hardy.
Darlene was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Julie Ann Meredith; brothers, John Smith, and Edgar Smith; sisters, Mable Smith, Mary (Sam) Thomas, Frances Theissen, and Margret Adams; brother-in-law, Larry McClintock and sister-in-law, Jo Smith; and great-grandson, Oliver Thomas Brown.
Visitation will be from 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M., Sunday, June 6 at Wilson Family Funeral Home, Minneapolis, where family will receive friends from 4:00 to 6:00. Funeral services for Tom and Darlene will be at 11:00 A.M., Monday, June 7 at the Delphos Auditorium with burial in the Delphos Cemetery, Delphos, KS.
Memorials can be made to the Delphos Community Fund (please make checks out to GSCF and put Delphos Community Fund in the memo) or the Delphos Senior Center and left in care of Wilson Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 166, Minneapolis, KS 67467.