Darlene  McKinley

Darlene was born in Houston, the first born of four children to Tom and Frances Lunceford. The family moved to East Texas in 1974 and settled down in the small community Dialville.

Darlene was a gorgeous, high-spirited young girl who was always searching for something greater in life. She found that something at age 22: her Lord and savior Jesus Christ. From then on, there was no stopping her.

Darlene had no children of her own, for Gods plan for her was much greater. She worked with a lot of children and they loved her so. She was always a Sunday School teacher as well as the Sunday School bus driver. Darlene was also a very hard working young lady. She worked in a variety of fields during her life, including truck driving, factory work, Powell's Plant Farm and, finally, a small microscope business with her husband: Darlene married John Michael McKinley in 1992.

Darlene had a very active life-style. She was always on the go, working on something instead of resting or sleeping. Her hobbies were as vast as the Heavens. She loved to garden and could grow just about anything. She loved the outdoors and fishing and just being around water. She also loved to remodel homes. She had such elegance and sophistication that she could bring charm to any home. Because of her work ethic, she could also tear a home down, piece by piece, just to re-use the lumber on a new project.

Her greatest hobby was going to garage sales. She was always on the hunt for a great deal.

Sometimes, life throws you a curve-ball and you do your best to recover from it. In 1998, Darlene found out that she had breast cancer. The doctors told her that she had six months to a year if she did not have surgery, but there were no guarantees. She wanted to stay health and not be run down by chemotherapy or radiation.

Darlene’s faith in Jesus Christ was very strong and she knew that with him, all things are possible. So, she opted not to have the surgery and found other means of fighting the cancer.

Darlene started removing the caner herself, using creams and eating healthier and it worked until three months ago. God gave her nine more years of a very healthy and active life. But, as we all know, all good things must come to an end.

God had called Darlene home. He knew she was still searching for something greater. Darlene McKinley left our world in search of her new home on June 25, 2007. She passed away at her parent’s home in Dialville with the love and care from family that she so deserved.

She was preceded in death by her only brother, Earl Lunceford, Jr. She is survived by John Michael McKinley of Lake Strider; her mother and father; Two sisters and brothers-in-law, Mary and Bill Brumit and Deborah and Mark Halsey; four nieces and one nephew-in-law, Amanda and Josh Baker, Ashley Hasley, Maygan Jarratt, all of Dialville; one great-nephew, Elijah Earl Baker; and one special aunt, Rachel Orsack of Dialville and many more in-laws, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Darlene was laid to rest in a small family plot near Lake Striker. In Lieu of flowers and food, it was Darlene’s request that a donation be made in her honor to the Hospice of East Texas. They are wonderful people and we could not have made it without them. God Bless them all.

Hospice of East Texas 4111 University Blvd.  Tyler, Tx. 75701.

Information from The Jacksonville Daily Progress