Darlene Marjorie was born Tuesday, October 1, 1957 to Walter William and Agnes Craigie (O’Brien) Pinder in Rockford, Ontario. Walter and Agnes were married on July 18, 1936 in Hespeler, Ontario by The Rev. J.J. Lowe, a Presbyterian minister. Their witnesses were Charlotte O’Brien of Galt and Andrew Furriolk of Guelph. Walter was 21 and Agnes was 19.
It is interesting to note that Darlene’s Mom, Agnes, was born in 1916 in Dundee, Scotland. She immigrated to Canada with her Mom Maggie, her sisters Alice, Charlotte, Audrey and brother Edward when she was just seven years old. They arrived in Quebec in July of 1924 aboard the S.S. Marloch of the Canadian Pacific Ocean Services. On Maggie’s passenger declaration it is noted that she was widowed. They were destined for Galt where Agnes’ grandparents lived on Barrie Street. They were sponsored, and their passage paid, by an Overseas Settlement Committee.
There were ten children in the Pinder family with Darlene being the youngest; Kenneth, Thomas, Gerald, Bruce, Gordon, Dorothy, Donna, Joan, Pauline and Darlene. The big family joke was that the train went through at 4 a.m. and Agnes and Walter had to “do something” until the start of the day! Sadly, Walter died when Darlene was just eleven years and a day old. As can be expected, Darlene took his death really hard. Her mother Agnes was then tasked with the job of raising Darlene on her own.
Darlene was especially close to her brother Jerry and her sister Joan. Darlene and Joan’s families were always together, creating lots of memories for the two families. In fact, their relationship has been described as intertwined, which is a very apt description. The two families loved caring for each other and still do to this day!
Darlene was indeed all about family and friends. She loved spending time with her grand and great-grandchildren and extended family as well as having coffee with her friends. It wasn’t just people that Darlene cared for, she also loved animals and one specific dog, “Sandy.” Playing Bingo, Yahtzee, cards (Wild Rummy), Uno and Nevada tickets were times of enjoyment for Darlene.
Darlene’s care for people ran deeper than just enjoying being together with others. She was a caretaker through and through, always putting others first, minimizing her own pain and sorrow. She wanted everyone to just be happy. Words like empathetic, caring, accepting, a kind soul and giving have all been used to describe Darlene. These certainly are essential characteristics to love and care for others.
Like her sister Joan, Darlene worked in a variety of restaurants over the years, but her time at the Golden Hill restaurant stands out. Darlene then went on to work and be of service to others in nursing homes. To her credit, Darlene put herself through college to obtain her Nurses’ Aid (P.S.W.) Diploma. That was, and still is, a huge undertaking and Darlene was proud of her achievement!
People who knew, and loved, Darlene recognized her playful side. She had a great sense of humour, often playing jokes on others. One incredibly funny story is of how she taught the young girls how to dance and then sent them out in public to dance. What the young ones (who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent) didn’t know was that Darlene had taught them how to ‘dirty dance.’ Poor girls! Yet, it still gives them a great story to tell ‘to this day! It should come as no surprise then that Darlene’s favourite TV show was “Just for Laughs” and her favourite channel was CMT.
Darlene could also be ‘sassy’ and blunt. This could go along with her sense of humour but it also allowed the people in her life to know precisely where they stood with her. Even though this trait could be a little disconcerting, it is far more admirable than talking behind people’s backs! Wise and honest are apt words for describing Darlene.
Darlene enjoyed her time at the coffee shops in Chesley, or relaxing and socializing on one of the benches in town. She also had a soft spot for the Chesley Hotel and last but not least the Saugeen Conservation area (Sulphur Springs). Darlene’s fun would start Friday night and by Saturday she was really cranking up the tunes – Paradise by the Dashboard Light performed by Meat Loaf and Friends in Low Places performed by Garth Brooks. No doubt, these favourites of Darlene indicate her sense of mischievousness.
So, of course, it can be said that Darlene loved her music! And then, there were her collections of unicorns and Teddy Bears and her one favourite doll. White Gerber Daisies and egg salad sandwiches (even though she couldn’t eat eggs) were other favourites of Darlene’s. Special memories were created by picking up chicken and taters (potato wedges) at the store and proceeding to Sulphur Springs with the grand and great-grandchildren.
As illness set in, Darlene’s daughter Michelle became her primary caregiver. They were really close and were very important in each other’s lives. Michelle also became a PSW and worked at Parkview where Darlene spent her remaining days.
Sadly, Darlene Marjorie Caskenette of Chesley, passed away at Parkview Manor, Chesley on Monday, March 5, 2018 in her 61st year.
Loving mother of Michelle Caskenette (Steve Ernest) and Darlene Caskenette. Cherished grandmother of Kimberly Eavers, Ashley and Katelyn Caskenette, Victoria and Dominick Ernest and Ryan, Nathan and Benjamin Caskenette and great-grandmother of Lily, Violet, Mikayla, Jasmine and Marcus. Darlene will be dearly missed by her sister Joan’s family, Bill, John, Cathy, Sheila, Brandon, Laura and their families. She was predeceased by her great-granddaughter Holly Pollard, sister Joan Stephen, brother Jerry Pinder and her parents Walter and Agnes (O’Brien) Pinder.
A memorial service honouring Darlene’s life will be held at Rhody Family Funeral Home, Chesley on Friday, March 16, 2018 at 1 p.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service.
Memorial donations to Parkview Manor Residents Fund would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.
