Darlene Louise Keeney, 84, of Arlington, Texas passed away Friday, July 20, 2018. She was born in Estelline, South Dakota on June 8, 1934 to Olaf and Bertine (Anderson) Amundson.She was preceded in death by her parents; 4 brothers and 3 sisters; 2 sons, William Shea and Donald Shea; and her soul-mate and companion Kenny Heck, with whom she shared many years of joy.
Darlene leaves behind her children, Sheri Basore and son-in-law Steve, of Athens, Texas; Tim Keeney, of Dallas, Texas; Dale Keeney, of Dallas, Texas and Linda Keeney and son-in-law Robert Heck of Arlington, Texas; 12 grandchildren and 10 great- grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces and nephews and friends.
Darlene was the youngest of 8 children and she often shared stories about her family and childhood, and the joy and adventures, as well as the hardships, of growing up on a farm in the midwest during the Great Depression. She acquired the nickname "Tupper Heart," which was a term of endearment given to her by her father. Her siblings and extended family shortened the name to "Tuppy" or "Tup." When she was quite young, she learned to embroider and won awards at a county fair for her needlework. She worked at several jobs in retail sales and banking, but working as a caregiver to elderly clients, who inevitably became friends, was something she was passionate about.Darlene was a longtime volunteer for Meals on Wheels.
She enjoyed baking cookies and cakes, and neighbors would frequently comment that her house "smells so good" when they arrived. She loved to write long letters to her family and friends.It was her lifelong habit of staying in touch with friends and family through her newsy, letters, with perfect penmanship on unlined paper. She had a special bond with her niece, Karen, who always made time to meet her in South Dakota whenever possible and drive her to visit all of her extended family and attend family reunions.She enjoyed sewing and stitching on needlework projects. She learned to be thrifty early in life, and always loved stopping by a garage sale for treasures or necessities. She was passionate about life, loved an adventure and had a great sense of humor. She was outgoing and never met a stranger. She loved watching birds, planting flowers, crossword puzzles, fishing, cooking, country music and was an avid reader and an ardent fan of"Jeopardy" and "Judge Judy." She trusted in the Lord and was confident in her faith. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, August 1, at 2:00pm at Northwest Baptist Church, 1003 Oakwood Lane, Arlington, Texas, with Jeff Watson officiating.

Here are two organizations that do much good, if you are interested in giving a gift in Darlene's memory.
You can donate online using this link: Meals on Wheels of Tarrant CountyOr Mail a check to:
Meals on Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County, 5740 Airport Freeway, Fort Worth, TX 76117-6005; phone 817-336-0912.
Or give to Mission Arlington using this link: Mission Arlington or mail a check to Mission Arlington, 210 W. South St., Arlington, TX 76010; phone 817-277-6620