Darlene Marie Duroy
February 19, 1937 - May 13, 2025
Darlene Marie Duroy, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at Creekside Village in Ponca City, OK early Tuesday morning, May 13, after a 3-year struggle with Lewy Body Dementia. Darlene is now singing in the heavenly choir with the other angels and is able to remember all the melodies and words!
Darlene was born on February 19,1937 in Minot, ND to Thomas and Anna (Poll) Hupksy. Darlene married Doyle H. Duroy of Ponca City on July 21, 1956 in Minot, ND where he was stationed in the U.S. Air Force. While Doyle was in the Air Force the family was stationed in North Dakota, South Carolina, and Midwest City. Doyle was discharged from the Air Force in 1963 and began working as a lineman traveling back to North Dakota, Florida, and Illinois and during this time Darlene was in charge of moving and caring for their family of 5 children. This included pulling a single wide trailer with a two-ton truck from Florida to Illinois. Doyle then changed careers again and moved the family back to his home state of Oklahoma, eventually settling in Billings in 1968 where they sold Moorman feed and began farming and raising wheat, cattle, bottle calves, sheep, hogs, and chickens. During this time, Darlene worked many jobs including, bookkeeper, cashier and butcher at the local grocery store, harvest crew cook, truckdriver, and caregiver for her dear friend Marietta Riddle. She was also mother and chauffeur to her now 6 kids and involved in all their activities which included being President of the Athletic Booster Club, FFA Mother’ s Club, Senior Class Parent, Concession stand worker, and so much more. She also blessed many as a Sunday School teacher and song leader for the Billings First Baptist Church for over 25 years.
Following Doyle’s death by accidental drowning during a fishing trip in 1988, Darlene went back to college and graduated with her Associates Degree in Nursing from Northern Oklahoma College and received her RN Certification in 1992 at the age of 56.
She then moved to Stillwater, where she worked for Stillwater Memorial Hospital, Home Health Care, and Judith Karman Hospice. Darlene was truly loved by her patients and their families as she would cook her famous Chicken and Noodles and bake wonderful desserts and sing for them during her visits AND word has it she gave the best foot and back rubs! Many of the families invited and included her in their family gatherings even after the loved ones she cared for were gone. Darlene retired from Nursing in 2013 at the age of 76 when computer charting became the new thing for insurance purposes.
Until her health condition made it impossible, Darlene led a servant’s life and continued to volunteer at the Judith Karmin Hospice resale shop and actively participated in Stillwater Senior Citizen Center exercise programs, Stillwater First Baptist Church Choir, and sang with the Stillwater Community Singers for over 25 years. She loved to sing and blessed many by singing in bi-annual concerts, holiday cantatas and performing solos at church, singing for patients and at assisted living and nursing homes, and at funerals. She loved God and was a devout Christian. She wanted everyone to know “God loves them and you are never alone when you believe in God and Jesus Christ”.
Darlene loved to travel and was fortunate to have traveled to Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii with friends after retiring. She went on bus trips to Canada, Boston, Memphis, New Mexico, Arizona and many other famous U.S. travel destinations. A favorite place to visit was Branson, MO where she was the “designated driver” for many friends and family she made the trip with. She enjoyed visiting her sons and families in California and Las Vegas where she was excited to play with her special grand dogs and see Donnie and Marie Osmond perform and to meet them in person! Darlene also loved to bowl and was a member of a league up until the age of 86 when she was still bowling over a 140 average.
Darlene is survived by and will be deeply missed by her 6 children, Wade Duroy, Glencoe, OK, Tom Duroy (Carla), Kaw City, OK, Keith Duroy (Tracey), Yukon, OK, Candy Oller (Clint), Billings, OK, Doyle Duroy, Jr. (Sandy), Edmond, OK, and Phillip Duroy (Suzanne) Apopka, FL, 15 beloved grandkids, 16 great grandkids, and 2 more expected in July 2025. She is also survived by a sister Mary Buri (Lewis) of Hazen, ND, and sister-in-law Donna Glaser of Ponca City, OK, and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, brother Jerry, sisters June, Janis and Ruth, husband Doyle Duroy, grandson Jacob Daniel Duroy, great granddaughter Nora Kate Littleton, and daughter-in-law Karen Duroy (Wade).
A time for viewing will be held at Trout Funeral Home in Perry from 9:00am -7:00pm and family visitation from 5-7pm on Friday, May 16. Graveside services will be held at Billings Union Cemetery Saturday, May 17 at 2:00pm and open to all family and friends wishing to attend.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of North Central Oklahoma located at Ponca City or a charity of your choice in her memory. The family would like to thank the Creekside nurses and staff and hospice nurses and staff for the wonderful care they gave Miss Darlene, also affectionately known as “Grandma” through such a debilitating illness as Dementia.
Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home of Perry, 1408 N 7th St, Perry, OK 73077.
