Darlene Tower

Published 2:59 pm Wednesday, January 15, 2025

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PARSONS, Kansas – Darlene Tower, 83, of Parsons, Kansas, died Friday, Jan. 10, 2025 at her home.

She was born Sept. 25, 1941, at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio to James O. and Anna Marie (Spence) Crabtree. She grew up there and graduated from Cuyahoga Falls High School.

On Dec. 23, 1961 she and Marvin Darold Tower Jr. were married at the Falls Baptist Church at Cuyahoga Falls. Darold was a native of Parsons and was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. During his career in the Navy they were stationed at various places and she was active in the Naval Relief Society. After his retirement they returned to his home town of Parsons. Darold preceded her in death on Jan. 20, 2014.

Darlene was a member of the Labette Baptist Church and was involved in many activities of the

Darlene Tower

church. She was a volunteer with the Labette County Red Cross. Her many interests included quilting, sewing, knitting, antiques and archeology. In previous years she was a volunteer with Girl Scouts and Girls In Action/ACTEENS and when her daughter, Mary, played softball she traveled to every game and was the mom who provided “Ambulance” duty if anyone was injured. She was very involved in the lives of her grandchildren.

Surviving is her son, Jonathan M. Tower, of rural Oswego; her daughter, Mary Fay (Joseph) of Lexington Park, Maryland; five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; brothers Robert Crabtree, M.D. (Patricia), James Crabtree (Marjorie) and sister Charlene Poth (Mike), all living in Ohio; brother-in-law, Dale Tower of Rosalia and several nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death is her husband, Darold; her parents, a brother, Charles Crabtree and a sister-in-law Eva Tower.

The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Jan. 20, at the Labette Baptist Church with Pastor Tom Heflin officiating. Burial will follow in the Labette City Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home from 2 – 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Memorials are suggested to the Labette Baptist Church, Proud Animal Lovers Society or Home Town Hospice. They may be left at or sent to the funeral home at P. O. Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357. Online messages may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.