Doris Darling

Doris Darling was a kind, generous soul who found joy in the simple things in life. From growing a beautiful garden, finding adventure through travels, and serving her community and church, Doris lived her life with an outgoing spirit, a sense of humor and a taste for adventure. A devoted wife, loving mother, and dedicated friend, Doris brought her dedication and grace into each role she filled. With a great love of art, literature, and the beauty of nature, Doris always knew how to find great joy in the world around her.

The 1920's swept into the United States bringing great change to the nation. Shaken from the terrors of the first World War, the United States showed resilience, entering into an era of prosperity and social change known as the Roaring Twenties. The beginning of prohibition, the 1920's were an age of adventure and rebellion, a time of speakeasies and jazz, flappers and bobbed hair styles. In Flint, Michigan, 1924 marks an important year in the lives of English immigrants John and Kate (Frost) Pickering as well. For the Pickerings, the early moments of 1924 were spent in busy preparation for a new child. One cold, winter day, January 25, the Pickering family welcomed home their newest member, a baby girl named Doris.

Doris, the youngest member of her family, enjoyed a happy childhood in Flint, Michigan. Her father, who had started his career in the United States as a telegraph operator for the railroad, supported his family doing freight scheduling for General Motors. While she was still young, Doris experienced the death of her older sister, Katherine. However, she soon developed a close relationship with her two older brothers, Jack and Jim. Always an adventurous child, Doris loved climbing trees and spending time outdoors. Long walks to the schoolhouse every day were worthwhile ventures, as Doris enjoyed school and was always a hardworking student. After learning to read, Doris could always be found with her nose in a book, too.

After school, Doris took a job as a secretary at General Motor Institute. While she enjoyed her work, Doris decided to quit her job for a year to take care of her mother, who had been rendered practically paralyzed by an early stroke. But soon, Doris found herself facing the greatest adventure of her life. When she was 18, Doris attended a wedding where she met a young man named Harvey Darling. It was love at first sight for the two. After accepting a ride home from the wedding with Harvey, Doris was sure she’d say yes to any question he asked her. A short three months later, this new relationship was interrupted by WWII, as Harvey was drafted to serve in the Pacific. But the love the two had established could not be rocked by distance or time; the two remained faithful correspondents for three years during the war. Upon returning home, Harvey promptly proposed to Doris one evening after a University of Michigan football game. Naturally, Doris said yes, and on June 14, 1947, Doris became Mrs. Harvey Darling.

When Harvey decided to join his father and brother in the family business, Darling’s Hardware, the newlyweds moved to Ovid, Michigan, where the business was located. They found a home right on Main Street, and decided to settle there for the rest of their lives. Once they had relocated to Ovid, Doris began to enjoy her role as a wife, and soon found herself enjoying her new role as a mother as well. In 1948, Doris gave birth to her first child, Ronald Darling. Soon, their small family grew with the births of Pamela in 1951 and Rosemary in 1956. Doris had always loved children, and took a special thrill in becoming a mom herself.

Throughout her life, Doris loved to keep busy, and was particularly committed to serving her community. Through her membership in Acme Society, a lady’s club which was instrumental in many civic projects and provided ongoing support for Ovid’s local library, Doris became a well known community member. Doris also kept busy through the United Methodist Church, where she served in many ways, from singing in the choir and serving on the church board to providing daycare during Sunday School. With a green thumb inherited from her parents, Doris had a great love for gardening, and grew many beautiful plants and flowers. Later, Doris worked as a librarian at the Ovid Library for many years.

Throughout their time together, Doris and Harvey were very outgoing, and enjoyed spending their lives together making friends and traveling. They took many trips, traveling to most of the U.S. and several other countries as well. The two were always friendly, and easily made friends wherever they went. After Harvey retired, the two spent their winters at the Lost Dutchman Resort in Apache Junction, Arizona. During the summers, they spent many wonderful days at their lake cottage at the Hiawatha Club in Engadine, Michigan.

Unfortunately, in her later years, Doris began to experience the effects of Alzheimers. On Sunday, July 4th, at age 86, Doris passed away peacefully at home.

Doris’s life is marked by her dedication to helping others. A hard working, independent woman, Doris brought a creative flair and enthusiasm into any task she undertook. With her quick smile, love for beauty, and undying thirst for an adventure, Doris brought great joy into the lives of those she knew. A devoted wife, loving mother and friend, Doris will be greatly missed.

Doris is survived by her husband Harvey, her three children and their spouses, Ronald Darling (Terry), Pamela Tyner (Joseph) and Rosemary Baese (Kirk), her grandchildren, Ryan Baese, Nicholas Darling, Breanna Colville, and Kathryn Tyner, as well as her great-grandchildren, Jack Baese and Lucy Darling. Also survived by her two brothers, James Pickering (Irma) of Grand Blanc, MI and John Pickering (Harriet) of Mobile, AL.

A visitation will be held Tuesday, July 6th, from 2 to 4 PM and 6 to 8 PM at the Houghton Chapel, 232 E. Oak St., Ovid. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 7th, at 10 AM at the United Church of Ovid, 131 W. Front St., Ovid. Burial will follow at Fairfield Cemetery, Carland. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Ovid-Elsie Community Fund. To learn more about Doris’s life, leave a memory, or sign the on-line guest book, please visit www.lifestorynet.com.