Darlene Hutchins
Darlene passed from this life on Monday, September 14th 2009. She will be missed by many.
Life gave Darlene lemons. Darlene made gallons of lemonade and shared it with all of us. She blessed us with her kindness, welcoming smile, and dry humor. She forgave weaknesses in others and saw them as a whole, focusing on their strengths. Darlene did not dwell in the past. She went forward in life, always opening doors for herself and for others.
She had a wicked grin and a splendid sense of humor. Time with Darlene was about shared laughter. Two days before Darlene died she was barely able to speak. Her mother left the room to run some errands, leaving with a classic motherly admonition about staying put and being careful. Darlene's eyes opened, eyebrows raised, as she quipped "And where am I going to go?"
...
I don't know where she did go. I've no special connections to whatever may lie beyond life as we know it on earth. I do know that if there is a heaven that Darlene is there, with her Auntie Betty, waiting for the rest of us to show up. And if I hear a voice whisper the wrong flank into my ear, I'll know that she is with me.
Darlene loved people and was a true friend. Her life entwined with many of our lives. Betsy Drummond created this tribute to Darlene and her rich legacy of friendships.
Click for Darlene Friendship Video (300 MB, if this will not load try right clicking and choose "Save Target As..." to save it on your local system)
Pen at Mass Sheep and Wool trial, May 2009
The early days with Zach.
An email sent by Darlene in 2003. This is classic Darlene.
Hey guys,
Ain't sheep fun. I have a wether, fine this morning. Tonight when I get home I see him staggering like a drunk. I shoot him up with Vitamin B and give him some sheep tonic. Watch him lay dead looking, then he tries to get up, feeding time at the zoo and his hind end raises but his front end is still grounded. He is eating, shitting, but can't get up. Also he is the same sheep that I pulled porcupine spills out of his entire head, shows his intelligence level. I thought maby a roge spill traveled in his system or could it be Brain worm, he could have eaten a slug expelled by a deer? any suggestions? My whole day has gone like this. If you want a laugh read on.
Picture this.
Running a tad bit late with the bus this afternoon going to the high school.
Get behind guy who is traveling slower than a snail on skinny country road. (at least 15 miles an hour under the suggested speed limit).
Running latter and getting frusterated at the car in front of me
Decide to turn off and try a different route, having seen the name of the road before.
3 miles, road turns to dirt, ignore the warning signals going off in my head.
Keep going down dirt road, thinking it must turn back to tar.
Road gets skinnier and skinnier and the big yellow bus is now almost rubbing the trees.
Must go forward because can't turn around, finally I came to a four wheeler maybe jeep trail and had to do a 60 point turn with a 30 ft bus out in the middle of east bumfu??.
I would have been earlier and less stressed if I followed the snail.
I made it to the high school and then the grammer school which proceeded to give me a wailing child and said she would be fine. 40 whole minutes latter she is still wailing and mother bear is not happy. I explained that that was the way I recieved the package and she should call the school or at least someone who cares.
And how was your day