Darleen L. Madsen Jones

Darleen LaVonne Madsen Jones February 13, 1926 – August 11, 2022 Darleen L. Jones of Clarksburg, MD was born in Spencer, Iowa on February 13, 1926, just three years before the Great Depression of 1929, to a young farmer named Lester (Jack) Madsen and his wife of 69 years, Faye Adelaide Bailey. She had had two brothers, the oldest named Donald (Don), and Lester (Les), Jr., the youngest. As a child, Darleen was active in 4-H, winning many blue ribbons for showing the farm animals she lovingly raised in addition to her prize-winning entries in canning, baking, and sewing. She was an excellent seamstress and made most of her school clothes, suits, and winter coats for herself and family. Her mother taught her to play the piano at a young age and she also played the baritone saxophone in the concert and jazz bands as well as the glockenspiel in the Spencer High School Tiger marching band. She earned a sports letter playing intermural girls’ basketball, and a coveted school pin for singing in the school chorus and glee club. Upon graduation from high school in May of 1944, an18-year old teenager left home on an east-bound train to her final destination -- Washington, DC. She lived in a boarding house in southwest DC during the war with seven other girls, where she worked at the FBI in the Fingerprinting Department. She soon met a 19-year-old guy named Laird Jones from Hubbard, Ohio, who had also left home as a teenager to come to DC to work at the Harry Diamond Fuse Lab during World War II. Laird also moonlighted as the roller rink skate check boy and the skating rink attendant--the guy who skates backwards on the rink to control the skaters while also flirting with the pretty girls! Within weeks the two of them became “an item,” and were soon engaged. They married in Spencer, Iowa after the war on May 26, 1946. Laird and Darleen were able to assume a GI loan for a small two-bedroom Cape Cod home in Forest Heights, Maryland in 1950 where they raised two children. They resided there until moving to Clarksburg, Maryland, Montgomery County, in 1969 where Darleen soon joined the Clarksburg United Methodist Church. She was a very active member in choir, bazaar crafting, and preparing food for fundraisers, weddings, and funeral receptions. For 12 years she was an administrative assistant at Comsat Lab/Lockheed Martin in Clarksburg, MD until her retirement in 1981. She liked to travel, camp and cruise with friends as well as play Gin Rummy and do puzzles with family. Laird and Darleen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at a reception in the Social Hall of the Clarksburg United Methodist Church with family and friends in May of 1997. They were the parents of two children: Dianne Jones McCullen and friend Jack Francis, and Dennis Laird Jones and wife Pamela (Pam). Five grandchildren: Michelle McCullen Swope and husband, Randolph (Randy), Meredith McCullen; and Megan McCullen Norwood and husband Brian; Jason Jones and wife Stephanie; Lorie Jones Dent and husband Derrick. Twelve great grandchildren: Jessica, Katie, Lauren, and Emily Swope; Alex Hartman; Stephanie, Tyler, and Gabe Norwood; Parker and Payson Jones with a baby sister expected in December; and Troy and Kylie Dent. For more than three years, Darleen was residing with her daughter, Dianne, in Westminster, MD and passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 11, 2022. Living more than 96 years, she was predeceased by everyone in her Midwest family, as well as her husband, Laird Jones in April 2004, and her son-in-law, Bobby (Bob) McCullen in December 2003. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, August 15, at the Clarksburg United Methodist Church Cemetery, 23425 Spire Street, Clarksburg, MD 20871 with the Rev. David Waddell presiding. There will be a light luncheon for family and friends following the burial. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial donations be sent to BridgingLife in Darleen’s memory for the compassionate in-home hospice care they gave to her and to perpetuate their services to others regardless of the individual’s ability to pay. Memorial donations may be made to: BridgingLife 200 Memorial Avenue Westminster, MD 21157 Or online: bridginglifecare.org/make-a-gift

Darleen L. Madsen Jones

February 13, 1926 - August 11, 2022