Darlene has lived in Central Kentucky all of her life. 

She has never had a desire to live anywhere else.  While she will admit she is not sentimental about possessions, she readily admits to being sentimental when it comes to places she has lived and of her country roots.  

Family

Darlene is one of four children.  She has one sister, and two brothers.  All four siblings were born in November.  The first three were born in consecutive years, all of their birthdays fall within days of each other's. Her younger brother was born six years later in the same month.. Here siblings are Danny, Paulene and Cecil Jr.

The photo to your right is Darlene's mother, Margie and father, Cecil along with, Danny, Darlene and Paulene who were five, four and three years of age when this photo was taken.

Nineteen ninety-eight was a sad year for Darlene and her family.  That was the year her father died. He was only sixty-six when he died. She was very close to her father.  His death has left a void in the family, but she and her siblings have drawn closer to their mother.  Darlene is very family oriented.

Darlene describes her relationship with her mother as tight.  Her article titled In Search of a Role Model was published in the May 2007 issue of the Lookout magazine.  The article was a tribute to her mother.

Darlene and Mike  were members of the same church from childhood; their wedding in that church was small and beautiful.  Well, at least they thought it was beautiful way back in 1975.  Now though when they look back on the old pictures, they aren't too sure beautiful is the correct word.  Maybe unique would be a better choice.  There are a wide variety of colors, materials and hairstyles in those photographs. Darlene has loved Mike all of her life.  At least since she was seven.  That's about the age she first remembers seeing him in Sunday school class.  When she was twelve, she would write her first name on paper, and then take turns adding the last names of all the boys she knew.  Mike's was the only last name that she believed looked right after her first name. Darlene likes to aggravate him about his failure to love her those many years ago when they were children.

Mike gave Darlene her very first kiss when she was sixteen.  He was the first boy she dated. He picked her up following her high school graduation on his motorcycle; that was first time she realized she loved him. 

Her only child, a son was born in 1981.  Eric was and continues to be the joy of their life.  He is married to April and thanks to the both of them, Mike and Darlene now have their first grandchild, Braxton, whose age is still being counted by months.  Eric is attending The Southern Theological  Seminary in Louisville.  Because April's mother died when April was only seventeen years old, Darlene does everything for April that she believes April's mother would do if she were here. The two of them have a very close relationship.

Riding on the back of the motorcycle with her husband in control so she can think about her next writing project is one of Darlene's favorite past times.  She enjoys taking photographs of the beautiful Kentucky scenery when they are on one of their many rides around the state.  

Accomplishments

Darlene currently works in a busy court system in Central Kentucky.  She is the Chief Deputy Clerk for the Circuit Court Clerk in her county.  She believes someday she could write a book about her experiences in the court system and the people she has met while working there.

Her first short story was written while she sat in her upstairs bedroom of the farmhouse she and her family lived in.  She was fifteen years old.  The story was about the first thing she believed she would see upon arriving in heaven.  She still has the original story that she typed on an old beat up, manual typewriter.

Darlene has articles published in the Lookout magazine, a feature article in the Kentucky Monthly with one of her scenery photographs chosen as the cover of the June 2007 issue. A short story was published in The Storyteller.  On Mission, Working Nurse, Back Home In Kentucky and Hopekeepers magazines, all have purchased or accepted articles for future publication.  A Christmas story she wrote was published in an anthology titled I'll be Home for Christmas. She contributes regularly to CWNewz.com as well as other online magazines.

Before a debilitating illness attacked her husband, Darlene was very active in her church and community.  She is a graduate of Leadership Madison County, Merchant Academy and the Citizens Police Academy.  She is a former member of Altrusa International, served as the chairperson of the local Citizens Foster Care Review Board and served on the state executive committee for the Kentucky Citizens Foster Care Review Board.  She was a contributor to the statewide newsletter titled The Caring Difference, a newsletter for members of those boards.

She has taught preschool, children, youth, young adults and adult classes in her church.  She has volunteered in Vacation Bible School, went on several mission trips, eventually taking on the role of Mission Trip Director for a few years. She currently is director of Guiding Love, her churches mentoring program for new members.  Darlene is also secretary of the church council and a member of the Caring Hands Food Committee for grieving church members.

The author of Kentucky's Everyday Heroes, Steve Flairty included Darlene in his book as one of Kentucky's "Ordinary People Doing EXTRAordinary Things."

Darlene believes her greatest accomplishments in life can be discovered by looking in the faces of her family.