Sometimes you don't really know a person until you attend their funeral.

For the past year, I have been a weekly visitor to the Red Cliffs Assisted Living Center in Nephi, Utah, visiting more than one family member. I artificially came to know Darlene Fowkes and would greet and speak to her, but only briefly. I knew her husband-Earl, who was one of the three bus drivers for Juab School kids in the 1960's. I was also a friend with her son-Tom, as we did FFA together. Today, at the funeral of 90 year old Darlene, I came to know the real Darlene, and needless to say, I was very impressed. If you know Tom Fowkes, he speaks honestly so I accepted all that was said of his mother. Darlene was not only the mother to a hay wagon load of kids; but served in many church functions and jobs such as the Mona City Council for ten years; Deputy Juab County Recorder for 12 years. She was the LDS ward organist and Mona clean up committee. For relaxation, she made quilts-not with a computer, but gather around with others doing it by hand. She also found fun bottling the various fruits the family gathered from the south end of Utah County where she was born. Darlene-I pay genuine respect to you for all that you did for your family; church; your beloved Mona and Juab County. Your kids have every right in the world to be proud of their mother.