Darlene was born on December 18, 1941 to Charlie and Ethel (Sims) Chick in Crawford, Oklahoma. She passed away April 4, 2020 at Roger Mills Memorial Hospital in Cheyenne, Oklahoma at the age of 78 years, 3 months and 17 days.
Darlene grew up in Cheyenne along with one sister, Charlene and three brothers, Clois, Claude and Jackie. Her family gave her the nickname of “Biggun” because she always acted older and bigger than she was. Darlene loved going to the movies as a kid and often spoke about walking home in the dark after watching a double feature. She worked at both drug stores in Cheyenne as a teenager and bought her own car, a 1948 Ford for $100.00 at the age of 15. The drug store is where she met Ronald Hensley, who said she made the best banana splits. Mainly because she gave him extra toppings. Darlene and Ronald married on September 7, 1958 and briefly lived in Cheyenne and Dumas, Texas before moving back to the farm in Durham, Oklahoma.
They recently celebrated 61 years of marriage. Darlene worked alongside Ronald milking cows, hauling hay and working the fields, all the while raising three kids and making a home. She also sold Avon for a while and worked briefly as a waitress and convenience store clerk. She was an unselfish and fiercely loyal mother. There was never a time that her children needed her that she wasn’t there for them and she always put other people’s needs before her own. Darlene enjoyed hunting for arrowheads, reading, cooking, British comedies and playing the lotto…she always believed some day she would win.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her three brothers and one son, Steve Hensley. Darlene is survived by her husband of 61 years, Ronald, of the home; 2 daughters, Teresa Sibley and her husband, Jay and Becky Barney and husband, Glen Dale both of Weatherford, OK; eight grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren.
Darlene was well loved and will be greatly missed. Services are under the direction of Chris Whinery and the staff of Affordable Cremation Service – West.