Darlene Rose Ruzicka

She was born September 17, 1948 to Mary (Homan) and Sylvester Borgert in Celina, Ohio at Gibbons Hospital. Her parents preceded her in death, as well as her husband, Jerome T. Ruzicka (2002); a brother, Ronald Borgert (2016); sister and brother-in-law Connie (2021) and Walt Pohlmann (2020); nieces, Kimberly McClurg Snow (2011) and Sarah Pohlmann, infant.

She is survived by her sister: Marilyn(Thomas)McClurg of Tipp City, Ohio, niece, Diane(Robert)Bilo of Mason, Ohio, nephews, Kevin(Nici)McClurg of Tipp City, Ohio, Keith(Renee)Pohlmann of Maria Stein, Ohio, Jeffrey (Lisa)Pohlmann of Hilliard, Ohio; nephew-in-law John(Loni)Snow of Centerville, Ohio, great-nieces: Madelynn and Marilyn Snow of Centerville, Ohio, Kelsey McClurg of Tipp City, Ohio, twelve great-nephews: Mason and Miles McClurg, Mitchell, Matthew and Michael Bilo; Derek, Dayne, Dalton and Dylan Pohlmann; Andrew, Brady and Tate Pohlmann, cherished cousins, friends, neighbors and colleagues.

Darlene was a member of St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church in Beavercreek, Ohio. Her religion and her faith were the foundation of her life. Darlene was a graduate of Celina Senior High School in Celina, Ohio. She received her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Education from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio and a Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio.

She served in the Dayton Public Schools for 30 years. She taught at Bowling Green State University as a graduate assistant in Bowling Green, Ohio on a sabbatical leave from the Dayton Public Schools for one year and taught night school at Miami Jacobs Junior Business College in Dayton, Ohio for 1 term to help Vietnam Veterans utilize their benefits.

As a retiree she attended UD's Life Long Learning classes and even took a "pinch hitter" flight class to delight her husband. Darlene was most elated with the development of the Arts Magnet Schools in Dayton, especially the Orville Wright program which she was the administrator of and which was later moved to become Stivers School for the Arts which still thrives today.

Darlene was a member of the Garden Club of Ohio Board for several years and the Rollings Hills Garden Club of Kettering, Ohio for many years. She was a member of Pi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority and a lifetime member of Ohio Retired Teachers Association (ORTA), Montgomery County Retired Teachers Association (MCRTA) and Greene County Retired Teachers Association. She served on the ORTA state board for six years and as President in 2015 and MCRTA President from 2006-2008. She was a member of the St. Luke Conference of St. Vincent De Paul Society.

Darlene was an eternal optimist. She always saw the glass half full and challenges were seen as "opportunities." Life was a journey not a destination. Life was a gift, not a promise. She would want you to always remember the "JOY" in life.