Darlene Barrett Goodrich of Crawfordsville passed away peacefully on April 18, 2024, surrounded by her family.
Born Jan. 23, 1931, at Hannibal, Missouri, to Cecil and Opal (Northcutt) Barrett, Darlene graduated from Hannibal High School in 1949.
Darlene received a business degree from Hannibal-LaGrange University. She worked at The Famous dress shop in Hannibal in sales and bookkeeping, was faculty secretary at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, Stephens College in Missouri, secretary for the U.S. Signal Supply Service, Baltimore, Maryland, was executive assistant for Clyde Williams and Company, Columbus Ohio, and had her own antique business.
Darlene married her high school sweetheart, the love of her life, Howard Goodrich, on Dec. 27, 1950, and they were married 73 years. She earned a BA from Drake
University, M.Div. from Christian Theological Seminary, was ordained in 1988 by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and completed two years of chaplaincy training at Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis. She served as a loving chaplain to many HIV/Aids patients during the 1980s and pastored several congregations, as well as, serving as a co-regional minister with Howard in three church regions.
She also served as a mission partner in several countries in Southern Africa, often teaching in their seminaries, worked in the anti-apartheid movement, was the Co-Interim Africa Executive for Global Ministries with Howard, and was a member of the International Commission of Inquiry in Lesotho, Africa.
Darlene and Howard shared a lifetime of adventure, camping with their three children, particularly out west, as well as traveling on various research leaves to India, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, China, Philippines, Korea, Japan and Geneva. Darlene loved nature, gardening, animals, organizing, was athletic, and was well known for her stylishly colorful outfits and hats. Darlene was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother; and her family was most important to her. She was deeply compassionate and cared about people everywhere.
Survivors include: husband Howard Goodrich; daughters, Tysa Goodrich and Darla (Mark Frank) Goodrich; son Scott (Elisabeth Mantello) Goodrich; sisters, Karen (Tom) Schulze, Marsha Kenison; eight grandchildren, Mary (Safet), Kara, Terra, Andrew, Brant, Nicolas, Megan and Jamie; and two great grandchildren, Jonathan and Alexandra.
Darlene was preceded in death by her parents and sister Linda Evans-Harper.
Darlene’s memorial service will be at First Christian Church, 211 S. Walnut St., Crawfordsville, at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 11. Pastors Kevin Toth and Dick Hamm will officiate.
Memorial gifts may be shared with First Christian Church, 211 S. Walnut St., Crawfordsville, IN 47933 or Disciples Overseas Ministries, P.O. Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN 46206.
Online condolence can be left at www.BurkhartFH.com.
