Jacqueline "Jackie" Darling

Jacqueline “Jackie” Darling of Wrentham, formerly of Foxboro, passed away peacefully on December 5 at the Pond Home where she was a resident for the past year. Born in Woonsocket, RI, she was the daughter of Irene (Gamelin) Latraverse and Paul Latraverse of Woonsocket, RI. She was predeceased by her husband of 64 years, J. Walter Darling (2018). Jackie was 88 years old.

Born in Woonsocket RI, she was a majorette at Woonsocket High School before working at the local telephone company and beginning a long, loving and cherished relationship with her sweetheart, Walter Darling. They were married at St. Charles Catholic Church in Woonsocket in May of 1954 and eventually settled in Norfolk, MA, where they raised five children.

Jackie was active at St. Jude’s Church in Norfolk and made many friends. She drove school bus for the Norfolk School District before her 20 years employment at Southwood Hospital as lead secretary of the Pathology Dept. until her retirement. Jackie played bridge and loved gardening, crafts and sewing. She created a small business in retirement, La Belle Table, and sold many beautiful tablecloths, throws and pillows. She joined the Quilters Group in Yarmouth and embarked on making every family member a beautiful quilt. In retirement, Jackie and Walter traveled to Florida and abroad with friends and moved to West Yarmouth on Cape Cod where they played golf and hosted many visits with friends and family. They later moved to Foxboro, MA where she was active at the Foxboro Senior Center.

Jackie is survived by five children; Jesse Darling of Attleboro (Brooke Adamson), Jeanne Darling of Mansfield (Mederic Ethier), Timothy Darling of Marietta, PA (Pam Hertzog), Christopher Darling of Easton (Belkis Darling) and Jo-Ellen Darling of Northampton, PA (Mike Jendzeizyk); five grandchildren (Brendan Darling, Cameron Darling, Patrick Darling, Zach Darling and Jacqueline Healey); nieces (Lisa Latraverse and Jackie Latraverse) and a nephew (John D’Agostino), and many cousins. She was predeceased by her brother, Paul Latraverse, Sr. of North Smithfield, RI, in 2021, and by her nephew, Paul Latraverse, Jr. of Woonsoscket in 2019.

Jackie will be missed especially by the “Golden Girls” Ann Carmody, Peggy Larkin, Joan Kenney, and Vida Holmes (other Golden Girls who made the journey before her were Priscilla Larochelle, Pat Lang, Cathy Gear and Madeleine DeRoche). She immensely enjoyed the staff and her new friends at the Pond Home in Wrentham. A special thanks to Hope Health Hospice of Massachusetts and the nurses, aids and CNAs of Pond Home and ComForCare Home Care, all of whom took excellent and loving care of Jackie.

Visiting hours will be held at the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home in Walpole, MA on Friday, Dec. 15 from 4-7 PM.  A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Foxboro on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 10 AM followed by internment at Norfolk Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, if you wish, donations can be made in Jackie’s memory to Catholic Relief Services, PO Box 5200, Harlan, IA 51593-0700, or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.