Darlene Mavis Carman, 96, of Bradenton, Florida, passed peacefully from this earth late on May 2nd into the welcoming arms of Jesus, after a brief illness. Darlene was born in March 1928 and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, the third child of seven to parents Charles and Zeta Taylor. She graduated from Leeds High School in 1945. While in high school she met the love of her life, Byron Carman, in 1943. A music loving scholar, she was the perfect complement to Byron's fun-loving athletic side. They made a striking couple and enjoyed being active with friends and the many siblings the two eventually shared. In June of 1948, Darlene finished her BA in Education from Morningside College in Iowa and married Byron that same week, while he was on a short leave from his service in the United States Navy. As a 20yr old, she began teaching High School math the following fall and did so until the first of their six children was born in August of 1950. At that point, Darlene happily hung up her chalk and eraser to become a stay-at-home mother, while Byron pursued his degree in Architecture from Iowa State University following his honorable discharge from The United States Navy. Once Byron was finished with college, he secured employment in Jackson, Michigan, and they moved their growing family from Iowa to start a new adventure together. They had one more job-related relocation in 1955 and settled in Kalamazoo Michigan to raise their family. They loved their community and neighborhood friends. They participated in golf leagues, bowling leagues and were the envy of all who got to see them on the dance floor. A mother of six children by 1962, Darlene was always busy with PTA meetings, Scouting with both her sons and daughters, Church, music classes and sporting events. As her youngest entered school full time, Darlene also made her way back to the classroom, and obtained a MA from Western Michigan University. Forever the student, Darlene’s next pursuit was as a teacher and Tax accountant for H & R Block. She continued with her accounting work at Seidman and Seidman, CPA until she retired in 1990. With a strong and abiding faith, Darlene was an active member of the Parchment and later Oakwood Methodist Churches while living in Michigan, and the Orange Grove Free Methodist church in Bradenton, Florida, where she has resided since 1996. She and Byron were both active in the Sugar Creek Estates community, serving on various activity committees and the Bradenton Duplicate Bridge Club. She was preceded in death by her beloved Byron, brother Robert Taylor and sisters Delores Blakey and Shirley Zschoche, as well as her precious granddaughter Kameron Carman. She is survived by her six children, Keith (Nancy) Carman of Delton, Michigan; Dennis (Susan) Carman of Plainwell, Michigan; Susan Brill of Bradenton, Florida; Gary Carman, of San Bernadino, California; Robert (Stacy) Carman of Edmond, Oklahoma and LeeAnn (John) Paeplow of South Bend, Indiana. She is also survived by sisters Dorothy Hummel and Donna Guillium and brother Larry Taylor, all of California, along with 9 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. In accordance with Darlene’s wishes, there will be no funeral services. She will join Byron in internment at the Sarasota National Cemetery, in Sarasota, Florida. In lieu of flowers, Darlene has requested that any and all donations be made to the Orange Grove Free Methodist Church in Bradenton, Florida.
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