Arthur J. Darwood

78, of Van Wert, died at 11:35 a.m. Sunday, June 26, 2005, at his residence.

He was born May 14, 1927, in Chicago, Ill., the son of the late Norman and Margaret (Fink) Darwood. On July 16, 1955, he married Marilyn King, who survives in Van Wert.

Mr. Darwood was a U.S. Army veteran who retired as a major, He also taught school for several years in the former Blue Creek and Mendon-Union schools and, for the past 27 years, was the owner and operator of a helicopter agricultural spraying business. He was a member of American Legion Post 178 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5803, both in Van Wert and of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert. He was a graduate of Ohio City-Liberty High School, Bowling Green State University and St. Francis College in Fort Wayne, Ind.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, John (Maria) Darwood of Merritt Island, Fla., and David (Lillian) Darwood of West Burlington, Iowa; two daughters, Jean (Tom) Greenawalt of Palm Harbor, Fla., and Jacqueline (Brad) Tracy of Lakeland, Fla.; a brother, Norman (Delores) Darwood of Van Wert, and six grandchildren, Elizabeth Darwood, Jennifer Rotsinger, Katy Quilless, Dustin Arthur Tracy, Nicholas Bradford Tracy and Lindsay Marie Tracy.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 29, at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Deshler.

Viewing hours are 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, at Brickner Funeral Home in Van Wert, where a rosary service will be held at 8 that evening.