Thomas Wade Darnell
Decatur
Funeral for Thomas Wade Darnell, 78, of Decatur will be Saturday, March 7, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. at Brown Holley Funeral Home in Rayville, La., with Bro. Buddy Frost officiating. Burial will be in Rayville Masonic Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Thomas Wade Darnell Sr. was born July 2, 1930, in Simsboro, La., and passed from this earthly life on March 2, 2009, in Decatur after a lengthly illness. Mr. Darnell was a devoted husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend to all who knew him. He was retired from the cotton warehouse business, serving as cotton weigher and foreman where he lived in Rayville and Ferriday, La. He moved to Decatur, where he married his devoted wife, whom he had the greatest pleasure to be with for the past 12? years. He was also retired from Wal-Mart in Decatur as a people greeter and cashier. He was a lifelong member of the Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 44 years, Frances Darnell; his parents, Ed and Lucille Darnell; a brother, Lavelle Darnell; and a great-grandson, Elijah Bracey Haywood. He is survived by his wife, Vivian Gail Darnell; daughters, Sherry Hutto of Rayville, La., and Michele Darnell of Baton Rouge, La.; sons, Thomas Wade Darnell Jr., Kenneth J. Darnell and his wife, Sherry, all of Rayville, La., and Keith Darnell and his wife, Darlene, of Vidalia, La.; stepdaughter, Susan Davis of Decatur; grandchildren, Misean Haywood and her husband, Rusty, Darien VanBuren and her husband, Perry, Denise Darnell, Melissa Darnell, Max Darnell, Miranda Darnell, David Faulks, Daniel Faulks and Lauren Davis; stepgrandchildren, Aslan Davis and Willow Davis; greatgrandchildren, DeShea Hutto, Devin Haywood, Rusti Haywood, Charlye Haywood, Dorien Wade Hall, Timber Frances Hutto, Kianna VanBuren and Anna Brooke Davis; brothers, Lewis Darnell of Biloxi, Miss., W.T. Darnell of Sulphur, La., and Charles Darnell of Rayville, La.; and sisters, Lujean Darnell of Rayville, La., and Betty Ann Davidson of Ruston, La.