Darlene Doris Luxford

Darlene Doris Luxford, the daughter of Ernest C. and Anna C. (Easton) Fuqua, was born on January 1, 1923, in Fairfield, Iowa. She graduated from Fairfield High School, where she was an award-winning baton twirler. Darlene then attended Parsons College in Fairfield for two years, where she was a majorette, and worked at a civil defense plant, also in Fairfield. On December 21, 1945, she married Dean Howard Luxford at the Parsons College Chapel; this was shortly after Dean’s return from active duty in World War II.

The couple moved to Shelby, Iowa, where Darlene helped start the marching band in the Shelby school. In 1952, she began working at Dean’s insurance office. She later worked in real estate, as well. Both Dean and Darlene retired on August 1, 1965. From 1970-72, they were part owners of the Shelby Dairy Queen, helping to build the building and business.

Darlene was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Shelby, Iowa, where she was active in the church ladies group. She was a member of the “Corner Attic Artist Club” in Shelby, and was formerly an active Eastern Star member. Darlene loved to travel, and she and Dean would take their RV south to Corpus Christi, Texas. She enjoyed painting; she had the honor of designing the Shelby Centennial emblem.

Darlene D. Luxford died Tuesday, April 1, 2008, at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa, having reached the age of 85 years and 3 months.

Darlene was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Donald Fuqua. She is survived by her husband, Dean Luxford of Shelby, Iowa; one daughter, Dixie (Mac) McClelland of Omaha, Nebraska; one son, Bill (Diane) Luxford of Omaha, Nebraska; four grandchildren, Karen of Elkhorn, Nebraska, Nicole and Jessica, both of Omaha, Nebraska, and Amber of Savannah, Georgia; two great-grandchildren, Ty and McKensie, both of Omaha, Nebraska; one niece, Diana (H. Wayne) Schweitzer of Springfield, Missouri; and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, April 5, 2008, at the First Presbyterian Church in Shelby, Iowa, with Mr. Steve Kiesel officiating. Georgene Juhl served as the organist, and Debra Rosenow, Kathy Schumacher, and Sandy Wilds were the vocalists. Honorary casket bearers were Rod Robinson, Ronald Eggerss, Robert Thoms, Jim Juhl, and Ralph Eggerss. Active bearers were Paul Peterson, Dan Robinson, Mel Thomsen, Tom Rihner, Derald Graybill, and Melvin Nelsen. Burial was in the Shelby Cemetery in Shelby, Iowa. The Burmeister-Johannsen Funeral Home in Shelby was in charge of the arrangements.