Maxine Darnall, 94, of Brookings, died Monday, May 21, 2018, at the Brookings hospital.
Memorial services are at 11 a.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church in Brookings. Burial will be at Black Hills National Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday at Eidsness Funeral Home.
Maxine A. Darnall was born on March 5, 1924, at Hartington, Nebraska, the daughter of Alfred and Gertrude (Lundberg) Swanson. She attended country school at Bloomfield, Nebraska, and three years of high school at Bloomfield. The family moved to Northwood, Iowa, between her junior and senior year, and she graduated from Northwood in 1940. Maxine continued her education at Hamilton School of Commerce in Mason City, Iowa, graduating in 1941. She worked for two and a half years at the Agricultural Adjustment Administration in Northwood, Iowa. During World War II, Maxine was employed at the FBI in Chicago for 5 years.
Maxine married Lloyd Darnall on Oct. 5, 1947, in Northwood, Iowa. They lived in the Chicago area until 1961, at which time, they moved to Brookings. From 1963 until 1983 Maxine was employed at Denholm and Glover Law Office. She then continued her education at South Dakota State University, and graduated in 1985, with a bachelor’s degree in art. Since retirement in 1985, Maxine and Lloyd have visited every state in the United States, several provinces in Canada, and various European countries.
Maxine’s interests have included art, bridge, golf, genealogy, travel, and Habitat for Humanity. She has participated in three Jimmy Carter work projects in Eagle Butte, Vac, Hungary, and Pikeville, Kentucky. Her club associations have included Altrusa, Beavers Extension Club, Methodist Care Group, Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Hospital Auxiliary, South Dakota Art Museum and Guild, Community Cultural Center, Phi Kappa Phi, Chapter BP, PEO, and the Brookings Area Habitat for Humanity.
Survivors include her children; Brian (Lynn) Darnall of Brookings, Sharon (Dave) Fetzner of Wasilla, Alaska, and Wendy (Roger) Hodson of Rapid City; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Louise Swanson of Mason City, Iowa, and Myrna Darnall of Rapid City and various nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd, and brother, Dale Swanson.
Memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Church Foundation Camping Fund.
