1949
Carolan
2010
Carolan Darden
February 10, 1949 — February 24, 2010
Betty Carolan (Meade) Darden was born on February 10, 1949 in Pound, Virginia, the daughter of Eva Francis (Meadows) Meade (1926-1993) and Abraham Meade (still spry at 83).
The family moved to Hebron, Kentucky in about 1952 where Abraham and the family built the home where he still lives with Carolan’s sister Charolette and her family.
After graduating with honors from Boone County High School in 1967, Carolan attended Ambassador College in Pasadena, California, graduating in 1972 with a Bachelor’s Degree majoring in Home Economics. During college and for a time thereafter Carolan worked in administration and became so skilled in preparing documents that she gained the nickname “Meadomatic”. She has always been a very hard working, energetic fun-loving person who loved life and other people. In 1968 Carolan was baptized and became a lifelong member of the (United) Church of God. While at college she met and, shortly after graduation in 1972, married Larry W. Darden. They remained married for over thirty-seven years until her death.
Carolan and Larry have two sons, Ted, born in 1974 and Scott, born in 1976. After Ted was born she dedicated her time and attention to her family. Larry continued with his education and became an attorney in 1978 practicing law for non-profit entities. They have lived in the same home in California for thirty-one years.
In the early 80’s Carolan’s usual strength and energy started ebbing away, but it wasn’t until 1987 at aged 37 that she was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease (after the famous baseball player who died from ALS in 1941). Carolan had the “Bulbar” kind that first attacked her throat (chewing and swallowing) and powers of speech. Average life expectancy for ALS patients is two to five years. The disease eventually leads to total paralysis, the cause is unknown and there is no cure. The mind remains clear and hearing and sight are unaffected. The doctor told Carolan that she had three months to one year to live. But through diet and nutrition and God’s grace her life was extended another twenty-three years!
Carolan had to give up on her dream of returning to school for a career in dentistry, but even though bound to a wheel chair since 1990 she doubled her efforts helping tutor her two sons, (then aged 11 and 13 at the time of diagnosis), with their education, insisting on their being the best they could be. Ted, now 35, became a medical doctor and practices Family medicine in Sylmar, California. Scott became an electrical engineer, worked for Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena for many years and now owns and operates an engineering software development business.
In addition to the ALS condition Carolan also battled breast cancer in her last four years. Perhaps her greatest sorrow was her inability to speak and be understood by all but a very few due to her Bulbar ALS condition. In spite of these enormous trials she continued to smile, always had one project after another in mind for Larry to do—even in her last days, and ran her race with patience and faith. She never never gave up.
Larry’s employer, United Church of God, an International Association, for whom he has served for many years as its General Counsel, allowed him to work out of his home so that he could care for Carolan. She died peacefully at home with her family at her side.
Carolan is survived by her husband Larry, sons Scott and Ted, Ted and his wife Colleen’s 1 ½ year old son Troy, father Abraham, sister Charolette Clementson and brother Mike Meade, ten nieces and nephews, thirteen grand nieces and nephews and numerous uncles and aunts and their families.
Memorials are suggested to the Good Works Program, c/o United Church of God, P.O. Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH. 45254-1027.
The family moved to Hebron, Kentucky in about 1952 where Abraham and the family built the home where he still lives with Carolan’s sister Charolette and her family.
After graduating with honors from Boone County High School in 1967, Carolan attended Ambassador College in Pasadena, California, graduating in 1972 with a Bachelor’s Degree majoring in Home Economics. During college and for a time thereafter Carolan worked in administration and became so skilled in preparing documents that she gained the nickname “Meadomatic”. She has always been a very hard working, energetic fun-loving person who loved life and other people. In 1968 Carolan was baptized and became a lifelong member of the (United) Church of God. While at college she met and, shortly after graduation in 1972, married Larry W. Darden. They remained married for over thirty-seven years until her death.
Carolan and Larry have two sons, Ted, born in 1974 and Scott, born in 1976. After Ted was born she dedicated her time and attention to her family. Larry continued with his education and became an attorney in 1978 practicing law for non-profit entities. They have lived in the same home in California for thirty-one years.
In the early 80’s Carolan’s usual strength and energy started ebbing away, but it wasn’t until 1987 at aged 37 that she was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease (after the famous baseball player who died from ALS in 1941). Carolan had the “Bulbar” kind that first attacked her throat (chewing and swallowing) and powers of speech. Average life expectancy for ALS patients is two to five years. The disease eventually leads to total paralysis, the cause is unknown and there is no cure. The mind remains clear and hearing and sight are unaffected. The doctor told Carolan that she had three months to one year to live. But through diet and nutrition and God’s grace her life was extended another twenty-three years!
Carolan had to give up on her dream of returning to school for a career in dentistry, but even though bound to a wheel chair since 1990 she doubled her efforts helping tutor her two sons, (then aged 11 and 13 at the time of diagnosis), with their education, insisting on their being the best they could be. Ted, now 35, became a medical doctor and practices Family medicine in Sylmar, California. Scott became an electrical engineer, worked for Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena for many years and now owns and operates an engineering software development business.
In addition to the ALS condition Carolan also battled breast cancer in her last four years. Perhaps her greatest sorrow was her inability to speak and be understood by all but a very few due to her Bulbar ALS condition. In spite of these enormous trials she continued to smile, always had one project after another in mind for Larry to do—even in her last days, and ran her race with patience and faith. She never never gave up.
Larry’s employer, United Church of God, an International Association, for whom he has served for many years as its General Counsel, allowed him to work out of his home so that he could care for Carolan. She died peacefully at home with her family at her side.
Carolan is survived by her husband Larry, sons Scott and Ted, Ted and his wife Colleen’s 1 ½ year old son Troy, father Abraham, sister Charolette Clementson and brother Mike Meade, ten nieces and nephews, thirteen grand nieces and nephews and numerous uncles and aunts and their families.
Memorials are suggested to the Good Works Program, c/o United Church of God, P.O. Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH. 45254-1027.
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