Jack E. Darling was born February 20, 1927 and passed away April 23, 2008 at the age of 81 at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth. He was born in New Braunfels, Texas, and was the son of Willie and Ida Wolfshohl Darling. In May 1945 after graduating from New Braunfels High School, he entered the United States Army and served eighteen months. Then he attended the University of Texas at Austin. In 1948, Jack married his high school sweetheart, Jeanelda Denmark. He earned his degree in 1950 from U.T. in Radio Broadcasting and then moved to Beaumont where Jack was an announcer with radio station KTRM. In August of that year, Jack joined the staff of First National Bank of Beaumont, which later became First Security and ultimately First City Bank of Beaumont. He appeared in television commercials for First Security for a number of years. Jack was in banking from 1950 until his retirement in 1989 serving as Vice President and Director of Human Resources.
Throughout his banking career, he served as President of the Southeast Chapter of AIB, founding President of the Southeast Texas Human Resources Association, Director and President of Sabine Oaks Home for the Aged; and Director and Secretary of the Board at Shorkey Rehab and Education Center (formerly the Cerebral Palsy Rehab Center) of Beaumont. He also served as Director and Chairman of the Beaumont Chapter, American Red Cross. As a fifth generation Texan, Jack was a member of The Sons of the Republic of Texas.
He served five terms as President of the Beaumont Chapter Camp Fire Council and was a board member for twenty-four years. In 1968, he was elected to Camp Fire’s National Council and Board of Directors, and served a two year term as Vice President of National Council. Jack received two of the highest awards for distinguished service: The Luther Halsey Gulick Award locally and The Wohelo Order on the National Level, and was named an Honorary Life Member of the National Council.
Mr. Darling was an accomplished public speaker and singer. He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church since 1950, where he served four terms as a member of the Church Council and was Council President. He was also a member of Bethlehem’s choir for forty-seven years.
In retirement, Jack enjoyed fishing, gardening and woodworking. His grandchildren were the recipients of many of his woodworking projects. He worked tirelessly on family genealogy, which he loved to share with his children and grandchildren. His quest to determine his rich German and Texas heritage was his passion. His family will be blessed with wonderful memories contained in the more than forty scrapbooks he enjoyed making. He loved to take photos at any event or family celebration he attended.
He will be remembered by family and friends as a kind and gentle spirit. Jack had a great sense of humor and never met a stranger. He always had a positive outlook on life even throughout his lengthy illness. He was a beloved grandfather and entertained his grandchildren with tales of his younger days.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-nine years, Jeanelda; four children and their spouses, Ellen and Steve Wilson of Austin, Susan and Ross Hill of Tulsa, Catherine and Kyle Bigler of Austin, and Bill and Christine Darling of Beaumont; grandchildren, Lauren and Kyle Wilson, Caitlin Hill, Elizabeth and Caroline Bigler, and Emily, William, Jr. and John Darling; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Janice and Elwood Preiss of Arlington and Lou and Frank Edmondson of San Antonio; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends on Sunday, April 27, 2008 from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin in Beaumont. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Monday, April 28, 2008 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, with Reverend John Alexander leading worship. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, under the direction of Broussard’s.
Memorial contributions may be made to Shorkey Center, 855 South 8th Street, Beaumont, Texas 77701; Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 777 North 4th Street, Beaumont, Texas 77701 or a charity of one’s choice.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Dan Harmon and his staff, and the doctors and nurses of Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth.
