Darlene Coffield

Darlene
(Watkins) Coffield was born December 3, 1942 in Orangeville, PA to Robert Watkins and
Evaline Phillips.  She, very peacefully,
left her home of over 54 years, to join the Lord in her new home on Wednesday, January 27, 2016.  She was in the loving, caring company of her
beloved husband and family at the time of her passing.  Darlene had two brothers, Carl and Charles
Watkins.  At a very young age, her family
moved to Las Animas, Colorado where Darlene grew up.  She graduated from Las Animas High School in
1960.  In January, 1961, her mother
married Maurice Kenworthy who Darlene often and affectionately referred to as
the best “Daddy” in the world.  In
December, 1961, Darlene married the love of her life, Thomas Coffield.  Darlene and Tom grew up together as their
families were long-time friends.  They
were married December
3, 1961 on her 19th birthday.  She often said that marrying Tom was the best
birthday present she ever received, while everyone knew that Tom’s reason for
getting married on her birthday was to secretly reduce the number of important
dates he may possibly forget.  Darlene
and Tom started their life together on the Davidson ranch, south of Las Animas,
a place that remained very near and dear to them and they visited often.  Shortly thereafter, they moved to Leoti,
Kansas for a few years, where their first 2 children were born.
December 15, 1962, the couple welcomed their first child,
a son they named Thomas Ray.  They were
such proud parents, even as they watched while Tom, as a toddler, melted a cube
of butter on his head while sitting in the middle of the kitchen table.  A story Darlene loved to tell.  On May 30, 1964, their second child, Sandra
Darlene, entered the world.  She now had
a daughter she could dress in ribbons and bows. 
December 4,
1965 came the birth of their third child, another daughter, Tamra
Kay.  Darlene loved to use her finger to
make ringlet curls in Tammy’s curly, dark brown hair.  The fourth and final child, Mark Shane, was
born July 10, 1967.  Darlene and Tom had no idea what Mark had in
store for them.  As the youngest child,
he could use his big brown eyes to “work his magic” and could always convince
her that he was completely innocent.
In 1967,
Darlene and Tom moved to Cheraw, Colorado where they immediately became very
actively involved in the community. 
Darlene had an absolute passion for children.  Her door was always open to children, her
house was always full of children, and there was always room for one more.  She loved them all.  Darlene worked for the Cheraw school for
several years, first as a bus driver and then as the head cook in the
cafeteria.  She was a very active
volunteer in the school and in many other organizations.  Darlene and Tom, as a couple, have been
presented with numerous awards and recognitions for their volunteer work,
community service and dedication to their community.  As a testament to their absolute love of
children, they spent a summer volunteering at a Lion’s Club summer camp for
disabled individuals in Woodland Park, Colorado.  They spent countless hours cooking and caring
for the camp attendees and developed some very special relationships. 
Darlene was a
very gentle, kind, loving and caring person who positively impacted the lives
of so many throughout her lifetime.  She
will be missed by so many who knew her and loved her.  The impact she had on so many will continue.  She was a very loving and devoted wife,
mother, grandma, GG, nanny and so much more. 
The phrase she will always be fondly remembered by is “I love you, gobs
and gobs!”
Darlene is
survived by her beloved husband, Tom; children, Tom (Regina) Coffield, Sandy (Forrest) Sandberg, Tammy (Jim) Collins, and Mark (Irene) Coffield; grandchildren, Thomas Coffield, Nicki (Jake) Erhlich, Daniel
Miller, Tabitha Sandberg, Makana Sandberg,
Jennifer (Chris) Stum, Tyler (Caitlin) Collins, Teisha
Coffield and Chadron Coffield; great-grandchildren, Shaynna,
Karlie, JJ and Camden Ehrlich, Josiah, Cayleigh, Ciyana, and Jeremiah Stum, and
Lilly Collins; her brothers, Carl (Josie) Watkins and Charles (Donna) Watkins, and numerous other family members including aunts, uncles,
sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.

 In lieu of
flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research
Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 direct or through the funeral
home.
Online
condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com.
Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of
arrangements.



A memorial service will be
Saturday, February 6, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. at the East Holbrook Mennonite Church in
Cheraw with Pastor Gail Allen of the Arkansas Valley Cowboy Church officiating.