Darlene Joy (Kenney) Robertson born Sept. 27th 1951 left us for her next journey on March 26th 2020, but continues to watch over us. Born in Kapuskasing Ontario, Canada, the daughter of Rose and Roy Kenney (deceased), she was the awesome sister of Gary, Bob and Steve. Dar spent her younger years in Kap and, after Dad transferred to Toronto, experienced life in the suburbs of Don Mills, and Scarborough. She graduated from Cedarbrae Secondary School with the goal of a career as a physiotherapist. That goal changed after Dar completed an Anatomy course, after which she switched to a General Arts program.
After graduating from the University of Toronto, Dar joined the Independent Order of Foresters as a life insurance underwriting trainee. Her intelligence, humility, work ethic and good heartedness facilitated her rise to management. She was a born leader, not because she took charge, but because she inspired everyone around her to be a better version of themselves. She was soon recruited for a senior position in the Toronto office of Quebec based Optimum Reassurance. In 1993 she was asked to lend her expertise to their Dallas subsidiary where she served as VP and Chief Underwriting Officer until 2003 when she joined U.S. Financial Life in Ohio. When USFL closed their Ohio operation five years later, she accepted the position of Chief Underwriting Officer for Farmers New World Life on Mercer Island, WA just outside of Seattle. After 10 years with Farmers she retired to move back to the Dallas area. She came out of retirement briefly in January 2019 to work for Sapiens Americas, whose management team, God bless them, were so supportive of her during her illness. Her career spanned over 40 years. At a time when so few women held upper management positions, Darlene rose to the challenge and was a successful Executive. She excelled at her job, and more importantly enjoyed the people.
As successful and meaningful as it was, her career was a suitably proportionate part of Dar’s life. More important was when she met and fell in love with her college sweetheart and soul mate Paul Robertson. On September 14, 1974 Dar and Paul were married at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Scarborough. They enjoyed life to the fullest with family and friends, laughed, camped, traveled and simply enjoyed each other’s company. They had a bond that was filled with dreams, planning for a future together and a weird shared humor, like renaming the beautiful afghans Dar knitted and gave to family “fancy blankets” because in a post 9/11 world you couldn’t declare at the border crossing that you had afghans in the trunk. Dar loved to hear Paul sing or play the piano. She said “his voice brings goosebumps to me.” Paul was the love of her life and the person who listened to and supported her.
Dar’s happiness grew with the birth of their two children Benjamin Roy (1979) and Katherine Ann (1981). She was very proud of and loved Ben and Kat, supported their dreams, held them close when hugs were needed, laughed with them, shared tears, and loved them with all of her heart and soul, even when it meant saying goodbye to Kat for 2 years to get her master’s degree in New Zealand. Dar even made the trek to visit for a week of adventure together. The two of them had an amazing relationship that went beyond mother and daughter. They were true best friends who hung out, laughed together, turned to each other during hard times, and traveled with each other to more places than can be named. Ben she encouraged to practice and play with various bands throughout his career in music, and was quick to join in and sing along. She made it a point to attend his performances whenever possible. Some of Ben’s fondest memories are of playing bass and looking out into the crowd to see the brightest smile of his biggest fan.
No matter where the family lived, there was laughter, singing, adventures, thankfulness, and most of all- love. With her soul-mate Paul providing full support, Dar was able to maintain her career and be an awesome wife, and mother. The family grew when Kat married Danny; followed by the arrival of 4 energetic grandchildren; Aden, Grace, Paul, and Patrick; and when Ben married Chrissie, who welcomed the arrival of beautiful Isla, little sister to Bailee and Bryan.
Dar loved, and was the best grandmother to, her grandchildren. She thoroughly enjoyed being a part of their lives, spoiling them, and watching their big personalities grow. When fights occurred between the three boys, a word or two from Dar would soon settle matters. “You don’t mess with granny!” As she said so often, "every day is Christmas." That was how she lived, with a spirit of giving, loving, and celebrating family every day.
The extended family included the Kenney/Lazarenko and Robertson/Grant clans, who lived in the Toronto, Kitchener, and Ottawa areas of Southern Ontario, and parts of Nova Scotia. Dar would frequently visit various family members whenever she had a business trip close by. She never stopped worrying or caring about her parents, Paul’s parents, siblings, in-laws, and nieces/nephews (too numerous to mention). Her extended family was as significant and a priority as the immediate family. She would be one of the first to offer assistance or support. At any family gathering, Dar moved about the room talking, hugging, and listening intently to each one. She loved this family and everyone in it.
At least as, if not a more important aspect of Dar’s life, was her relationship with God, His saints and His Church. Dar was a dedicated member of the Roman Catholic Church. Like her mother Rose and mother-in-law Anna, she had her devotional prayers and favorite saints. Church life was more than just attending or donating. Their fellow parishioners in the five dioceses where she and Paul lived were like family. Dar loved the liturgy, the hymns, the readings, participating in ministry, and listening to Paul sing. She supported the persecuted church in the Holy Land as a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, vocations as a member of the Crozier Society in the Archdiocese of Seattle, and the Vatican Museum as a Northwest Patron of the Vatican Arts. She even donated thousands of dollars to the Knights of Columbus to relocate a displaced family back to their home in the town of Karamdes on the Nineveh Plain of Iraq, previously occupied by ISIS. Church and her career took her to Switzerland, Italy, France, England, and Wales, trips that often became pilgrimages. During the Great Jubilee Year, she and Paul visited more than 30 designated holy sites.
Life had its bumps and twists in the road. But, no matter what obstacle or path they traveled, Dar brought lots of laughter, adventures, spiritual joy, and love. Being thankful each day, giving thanks to the Lord, having a sense of humor, compassion, forgiveness, listening to others, helping others, and loving fully were a reflection of Dar. We will miss Dar but must continue to be a reflection of her love.
The family would like to extend their appreciation to Neurosurgeon David Masel M.D., the doctors, nurses, and other staff to whom God entrusted her care at Precision Family Medicine, Carrollton Regional Medical Center (formerly Baylor, Scott & White), Baylor, Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation, Choice Cancer Care, Texas Oncology, Select Specialty Hospital, and to the staff & management of her most recent employer Sapiens Americas who have been so supportive.
Darlene will be inurned at Calvary Hill on Lombardy Ln. in Dallas. The family will be arranging Memorial Services in Texas and Ontario. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Soldiers’ Angels at soldiersangels.org or a similar charity of your choice reflecting Dar’s appreciation for the troops, first responders and their families.
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