Darlene Wavonne Barnett passed away with her husband by her side on March 7, 2024. Darlene was born January 10, 1959, in Chicago, Illinois, to the late Juana Jean Bell of Little Rock, Arkansas.
She moved to Akron, Ohio as a child and attended Akron Public Schools and Buchtel High School. She studied and became a certified Nursing Assistant (STNA) and began a 30-year career with the Arbors of Fairlawn, where she retired due to illness. She was long time member of Central Starlight Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Gerald Ivey.
She met the love of her life, Gilbert Barnett in 1975 and they married in 1980. Her husband and her home were her life. They spent a lot of time traveling the country. For 30 days of every year, they would strike out and visit and discover other interesting parts of the United States. They crisscrossed the country from coast-to-coast multiple times together, but Arkansas was Darlene’s favorite, it was going home because that is where grandma was, and grandma was her light.
A kind and loving woman, she could also be very stubborn and when she made up her mind she would not be moved. She lived life her way and died on her own terms, choosing the way she wanted to leave this life. Her soul was anchored in the lord, and she stood strong in her faith and the knowledge that her lord and savior was with her always and surely, he met her on the other side.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Juana (Joseph) Conley (Little Rock, Ark); daughter, Shomika Wavonne Bell Barnett; Grandparents, Mary and Harry Bassett of Little Rock, Ark; great grandparents, T.M. and Timothy Turner; sister aunt, Novetta Ross; and brother, Donald Brown.
She leaves to cherish her memory, her husband of 48 years, Gilbert Barnett; brother uncle, Daryl (Trish) Bassett; uncle, Harry (Paulette) Bassett; nephew, Corey Ross, all of Little Rock, Arkansas; sister, Veronica Powell of Atlanta, Ga and a host of nieces, nephews, family, and friends.
Friends may call, Saturday, March 23, 2024, at 12:00 noon, at New Millenium House of Prayer, 541 Brown Street, Akron, Ohio 44311. Services will immediately follow at 1:00 p.m.