Aug. 20, 1935 - July 18, 2023
John H. Darling
John H. Darling, Jr., 87, of McCook and formerly of Albion, passed away at his home on Tuesday, July 18, 2023.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 22, 2023 at Zion Lutheran Church in Albion with Rev. Carolann Hopcke officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery in Albion, with military rites by American Legion Post #162 and VFW Post #736 of Albion. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday at the church, with a Masonic service at 6:30 p.m. by Lone Tree Lodge #36 A.F. & A.M.
Levander Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
John Henry Darling, Jr., son of John Henry Sr. and Genevieve Muriel (Nelson) Darling, was born Aug. 20, 1935 at Belgrade. He was baptized and confirmed at the United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, attended grade school at Boone County District 89 and graduated from Albion High School with the class of 1953. He entered the United States Army where he served from 1954 to 1957 when he was honorably discharged.
On June 1, 1958, John was united in marriage to Shirley Ann Schafer at Zion Lutheran Church in Albion. To this union two children were born, Kevin and Teddi. John worked as a meat cutter before becoming a meat market manager for Safeway in Omaha and later at King Soopers in Denver, Colo. He soon became a USDA meat inspector in Greeley, Colo., before moving back to Albion to farm the Schafer farmstead, eventually buying the farm in Fullerton. He then drove a semi, hauling pivots for Lindsay Manufacturing for a period of time before returning to government service as a meat inspector, only to retire later.
John was a Master Mason and was a member of the organization for over 50 years. He loved camping, RVing and seeing the country while hunting and fishing when possible. After the loss of his wife Shirley in 2006, John traveled the country, eventually settling in Casa Grande, Ariz., for a number of years, before recently relocating to McCook to be closer to family.
John is survived by two children, Kevin (Tami) Darling of McCook and Teddi (Paul) Dubas of Bennet; six grandchildren, Talon (Lindsay) Darling of Denver, Colo., Tristan (Wyatt) Peterson of Parker, Colo., Tabitha (Eric) Wilson of Lincoln, Brittany (Joe) Hanson of Lincoln, Derek (Miranda) Dubas of Utica and Dylan Dubas and significant other Shelby of Douglas; 13 great-grandchildren; one sister, Genevieve Klassen of Mason City, Ill.; along with many nieces, nephews other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Shirley; a sister, JoAnn Klassen; four brothers, Clarence, Paul, Gerald and Donald; and a great-grandchild, Kaya.