Elnora Jean Darby, age 85, of Waverly Missouri passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 15, 2022, at Life Care Center of Carrollton, with family by her side.
Jean Darby was born on June 18, 1937, in Carrollton Missouri, the daughter of Eugene and Gladys (Hawkins) Calvert. She graduated from Carrollton High School in 1955. Following high school, she worked at the American Hereford Journal in downtown Kansas City. In January of 1960, she married David Nelson Darby. They lived most of their married life in Sugartree, Missouri.
Jean loved her family dearly and enjoyed hosting all of the holiday dinners. She enjoyed cooking and was famous for her holiday fudge and scalloped oysters. Jean loved animals, and any stray that found its way to her doorstep, would be fed, and found their forever home. During football season on Sunday afternoons, she was never far from a TV to watch her beloved Kansas City Chiefs. She was a past member of the Modern Homemakers Club of Sugartree. While living in Waverly, Missouri she was a participant in Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Breakfast Club, and was an active member of the Christian Church in Waverly. Jean enjoyed helping the church women make apple dumplings for the Waverly Apple Jubilee. In her spare time, she liked working in her flower and vegetable gardens.
Jean is survived by her daughter, Donna Jean (Pence) Miller of Grain Valley, Missouri, and David Alan Darby of Carrollton, Missouri; four grandchildren, Tara Spilker and husband Nate of Overland Park, Kansas, Kelly Metz and husband Scott of Carrollton, Missouri, Lindsey Thomas and husband Wade of Liberty, Missouri, and Dustin Darby and wife Kelsy of Lone Jack, Missouri; and eleven great-grandchildren, Link and Isabelle Spilker, Ella and Milo Metz, Leo Thomas, Kain and Kamille Darby, Lily and Cedar Metz, and Noah and Aiden Thomas.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Gladys Calvert; and her husband, David Nelson Darby; and daughter-in-law, Lisa (Pace) Darby.
Graveside Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at Gilead Cemetery, with Reverend Cheryl Sanders officiating.
There is no scheduled visitation.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Association, or Midwest Animal ResQ in Raytown, Missouri who lovingly took her cats when she moved from her home to Life Care. They may be left at or mailed to Bittiker Funeral Home, P.O. Box 223, Carrollton, Missouri, 64633.
Please share your condolences with the family by visiting www.bittikerfuneralhomes.com and click on the obituaries link.