Darlene Eskew

Darlene Faye Eskew (85) left this earthly life and returned to the loving arms of her Heavenly Father at her home in Stansbury Park, UT shortly before midnight on Easter, April 9, 2023. She passed away peacefully in her sleep after battling pancreatic cancer.

Darlene was born on May 21, 1937, in Rupert, Idaho to Dennis Clifford and Augustia Johnson Stack. Together they had five children, of whom Darlene was the oldest. She was born during the Great Depression and during her early years and through World War II Darlene and her family often traveled looking for work. In her youth, she was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her parents eventually divorced, and her mother remarried to Hugh Leonard Patrick Mahoney, together having six more children. They continued to travel, and for a time Darlene and her family lived in Washington and California. It was in Palermo, California, working in an olive orchard, that Darlene met the love of her life, Jimmie Knox Eskew. They were married on June 4, 1955, and soon after moved to Sarasota, FL where she gave birth to her children Barbara Fae (1956) and Patrick Jay (1959). In 1963 Darlene and her family moved to Jupiter, FL where she earned her GED and made an addition to their family in adopting Jimmy Patick in 1968. In 1970 she and her family moved to Spartanburg, SC. Following her mother’s death, Darlene brought her six youngest siblings into her family in 1971, then raising nine children with her husband. She remained a homemaker and caring mother until her husband fell ill and passed away from stomach cancer in 1990, at which point she went to work until she retired. She was sealed to her husband for time and all eternity in 1991 in the Idaho Falls Temple. In 1992 she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but it did not stop her. When she retired, she moved to Stansbury Park, UT to live with her daughter Barbara and her husband in 2003. There she was again diagnosed with breast cancer, which she quickly beat. Her love of her family and serving her community was always present. She spent much of her life helping those around her. In her retirement years, she spent time sewing and crocheting items for children and medical supplies for those in need. She was extremely proud of being a blood donor and rarely missed an opportunity to do so. Her later years were filled with love as she was surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. In December of 2022, Darlene was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Though she had a will to continue, her Father in Heaven called her home after a life well-lived.

At the request of Darlene, there will be private family celebrations in lieu of a formal service. Her final resting place will be with her husband in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Darlene is survived by her children Barbara Croxall (Brent), Patrick, and Jimmy (Aimee); nine grandchildren Christopher Croxall (Carolyn), Jeremy Croxall (Wendy), Heather Sabater (Jesus), Adrianne Keeney (Jerry), Scott Eskew (Kali), Kristen Eskew, Hailee Morgan (Jeff), Ben Sykes, and Alexis Sykes; 11 great-grandchildren; and her siblings Dannis Nelson (Gary), Michael Mahoney (Becky), Kathy Mahoney-Baham (Ronnie), Marie Mahoney-Thompson (Gregg), Patty Friend (Robert), Brian Mahoney (Rita), and Cory Mahoney (Dana). She is preceded in death by her husband Jimmie Eskew; parents Dennis Stack and Augustia Mahoney; and siblings Glenna, Joellen, and Allen.

Her family would like to thank the medical staff at Harmony Home Health Hospice, especially her nurse Maddi and her CNA Stephanie, for their care and support for Darlene.