Shirley Atteberry Darby, 95 Teacher and Homemaker LAKELAND " Shirley Atteberry Darby, 95, a resident of Lakeland, Florida, passed away on September 22, 2016, at Hawthorne Inn of Lakeland, due to natural causes. Mrs. Darby was born on December 28, 1920, in Charity, Missouri, to Tim William and Bernice Harmon Atteberry. She and her husband, Ben Homer Darby, Sr., moved to Lakeland in 1975. Mrs. Darby graduated in 1942 from Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, Missouri. She taught two years in a one room rural school in Dallas County, Missouri, where she taught all 8 grades. After this experience and because of her success there, she was asked to take a position as a third grade teacher at the Buffalo, Missouri Elementary School. She taught there for three years and resigned to get married and have a family. The Superintendent of Schools wrote that she was ""strong in all areas, especially control and discipline"" and that he ""would like to have a school filled with teachers like her."" Mrs. Darby and Ben Homer Darby, Sr. were married on October 13, 1946, in Buffalo, Missouri, and were married for 61 years until his death in 2008. Her husband and three boys were blessed with the unconditional and steadfast love and support she gave them. She was preceded in death by her parents, six brothers (five of whom served in World War II), and her son, Richard Alan Darby (Susan). She is survived by her sons, Ben H. Darby, Jr. (Sadie) and Bruce W. Darby (Sebastian), both of Lakeland, Florida; her granddaughter Brye Darby Lehmann and her grandson Drake Darby, both of Arley, Alabama; her grandson, Timothy B. Darby (Brittany), of Lakeland, Florida; three great-grandchildren, Edgerton Darby Unsworth (son of Brye Darby Lehmann) of Arley, Alabama, and Riley Darby and Jack Darby (sons of Timothy B. Darby and Brittany Darby) of Lakeland, Florida, and many nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Lakeland, 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland, Fl. 33801. A memorial service will be held on Friday, September 30, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. at The First United Methodist Church Chapel, 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland, Florida 33801. Service: 09/30/2016 First United Methodist Church Chapel 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland, FL 33801
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