Darlene June Essery

Darlene Essery, 81, of California City, California, passed away peacefully at home on June 25th 2023. Darlene was born to James and Donna Bute of South Gate, California, on June 24, 1942. She was their second child, born on the same day two years after her sister, Arly. She is preceded in death by her husband John Essery whom she was married to for over 50 years, and by her son Bob Essery. In her lifetime she was fortunate enough to be known by many titles; daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and perhaps most importantly, trusted friend. But among the many titles she held, her favorite by far was “Old Bat”. Those who were lucky enough to know her were witness to her generous and fiercely loyal spirit. Dar gave the warmest hugs. She would do absolutely anything for Tacos. She could adapt to any situation and was considered the “Mom” to all of her younger friends. She devoted the second half of her life to the people and cause that she deeply loved, AA. She was creative, having a new hobby every few weeks that she would master and move on from. She was always there with open arms, ready to listen when the world got to you. She would say in her rich, smooth voice, "I don't care about what you've done, I care about who you are." Darlene is a testament to a life lived well and stubbornly on her own terms. She will be greatly missed by all that had the honor of knowing her and calling her their friend. Our lives have been forever changed by Dar's love, her laugh and her dedication to making us all want to be better people.