Sgt. Joe Louis Darden

Joe Louis Darden, Sr. was born December 13, 1935 to the late Mr. and Mrs. John L. and Rossie Lee Darden of Jesup, Georgia. The second eldest of 11 children, he graduated from Wayne County High School in 1954. After graduation, he joined the Army to escape the racism of the Jim Crow South, a decision he never regretted. A good and faithful soldier, Joe adapted well to military life and soon found himself advancing in rank. He willingly served two tours in Vietnam, receiving the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart for Military Heroism and Wounds received in combat there. While stationed in Texas, he met Ms. Rosa L. Fleming and the two were married in 1974. The happy couple and their young family traveled around the world, as the Darden family was stationed in locations from Fort Bragg, North Carolina to Germany. Eventually, they were relocated to Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina where they would make their permanent home. Sgt. Darden retired from the military in 1985, a decorated war veteran with the rank of Sergeant Major E9, the highest rank achievable as an enlisted man. Believing in the importance of education, he used his GI benefits to obtain an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Midlands Technical College in conjunction with Fort Jackson. He then embarked upon a second career as an officer for the South Carolina Department of Corrections, stationed at Central Correctional Institution (CCI) in Columbia, where he served for sixteen years before taking his second retirement. Retirement afforded him the opportunity to indulge in other pursuits that were close to his heart. A founding member of Christian Faith Fellowship, he served with the Men’s Ministry and Usher Board. Other pastimes included: playing golf, listening to jazz music, and watching sports, particularly boxing and football. While Mr. Darden was proud of his professional accomplishments, he was even prouder of his lovely family. A dedicated husband and father, no sacrifice was too great to ensure that his children and grandchildren were well cared for and had every opportunity in life. His family and friends knew him as a gentle, soft-spoken, peace loving man, but one who knew how to get things done. He not only spoke of love and peace, he demonstrated it daily in the way he treated his fellow man.The true measure of a man’s life lies in the testimony of those who knew him best. The significance of Joe Darden’s life can be summed up in the simple description provided by his family – “Our Hero" Mr. Darden passed from this life on November 12, 2015. Pre-deceased by his parents and five sisters Maola Barner, Margaret Jackson, Catherine Shaw, Ruth Garnet, and , he leaves a host of family and friends to cherish his memory, including: his wife of 41 years; three loving daughters Verna Darden Ryals of Georgia, and Marianne and Gabi Müller of Germany; a devoted son, Joe L. Darden, Jr. (Tyra) of Columbia, five brothers: Earl, Billy, Richard, John, and Eugene Darden and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Sgt. Joe Louis Darden

December 13, 1935 - November 12, 2015