Darlene Starr (Wing) Nafe

Darlene Starr (Wing) Nafe, 70, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on January 2, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Canton, Ohio.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Jeanne Atchinson Zella. Darlene is survived by her loving husband of nearly 53 years, John "Ricky" Nafe; her children, Jamie Klinger, Samuel (Jessica) Nafe, and Angela (Steven) Clark; and her grandchildren, Tyler Klinger, Joshua Carroll, David Clark, Hannah Clark, and John "Theo" Nafe. She will be deeply missed by her family.

Darlene is also survived by her siblings: Bonnie Wing, Linda Ward, Robert Wing, David Bananzzi, Darell Schlegel, Dawn Kennedy, Debbie Kennedy, and Diedre Herring.

 Having placed her faith in Jesus Christ the son of God, Darlene has gone on to be with the Lord, holding firmly to the blessed hope of the resurrection, as expressed in Romans 10:9.

 Born in Providence, Rhode Island, on February 21, 1954, Darlene was a talented craftswoman, known for creating afghans, slippers, and doilies. She spent much of her career crafting wood baskets, including working for Longaberger Baskets. In later years, she pursued jewelry making, mastering the art of intricate beadwork.

 A true conversationalist, Darlene could talk for hours with anyone, and she was well-known for her baking, and holidays were made special with her homemade treats, especially her famous potato rolls. She cherished her family deeply, and the moments shared with them were her most treasured.

A celebration of Darlene’s life will be held in the coming weeks, with details to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dysautonomia International, an organization that supports research and awareness for the condition affecting her granddaughter.