Darla J. Arni, 65, of Marshall, MO, died Friday, October 1, 2021, at The Living Center in Marshall.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, October 7, 2021, at First United Methodist Church in Marshall, with Pastor Keith Vessell and William W. Harlow officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Thursday at the church. Memorials are suggested to First United Methodist Church or Fitzgibbon-Mary Montgomery Hospice in care of Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall. Friends may sign the online register book at www.campbell-lewis.com

Born August 20, 1956, in Marshall, she was the daughter of the late Rufus Eddy Arni and Dorothy Nell Mackler Arni. Darla was a 1974 graduate of Santa Fe High School and a 1977 graduate of the University-of MO-Columbia receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in art education. On December 29, 1992, at Elmwood United Methodist Church, she married Paul Vaillancourt who survives of the home. She lived in Saline County most of her life and taught in Malta Bend and Slater school districts. She was a professional speaker, had a segment on Fox 4 News, wrote a column in the Marshall Democrat-News and was an artist her entire life. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and Chapter GM of PEO and served on the Salt Fork YMCA board serving her last term as president. She had an art studio at home dabbling in various art mediums and loved to read.

Survivors include her husband, Paul; one daughter, Doran Camille Arni Vaillancourt of West Warwick, RI; a stepson, Colin Vaillancourt (Sarah Arndt-Vaillancourt) of Marshall; two brothers, Richard “Dick” Arni of Marshall and Donald Arni (Sherry) of Glasgow, MO; and several nieces and nephews.