Jo “Mama Jo - Gigi” P. Darden

Visitation for Jo will be held from 5:00p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home in Haughton, LA. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church of Bossier City, LA on John-Wesley Blvd. Graveside will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery, Haughton, LA. Officiating the services will be Rev. David Dietzel, Rev. Karl Klaus and Rev. Uriah Oxford.

Jo Darden of Bossier City, LA. passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by family after a hard fought battle with cancer on Sunday, March 5, 2017. She never lost her faith and trusted in the Lord until her last breath. She was born in Chapel Hill, NC on January 16, 1942 to her loving parents Joseph Theodore and Lena Mae Pendergraft. She attended school in Chapel Hill, NC. After graduation she was employed by Blue Cross Blue Shield. In 1961, she met the Love of her life after a LSU/UNC football game. Seven months later she married Leon Darden on May 26, 1962. After Leon was honorably discharged from the Navy, they relocated to Louisiana. Four years later, God blessed them with a son. Three years after that, they were blessed with a daughter. “Mama Jo - Gigi” spent her life devoted to God, family and friends. She was a faith filled Christian who Loved her God, Church and Church Family. She always shared her testimony with anyone and everyone she spoke to all the way to the very end. She was always thinking of others instead of herself. Jo was notorious for the BEST pranks around and always making others laugh and feel so special.

Jo is survived by her loving husband of nearly 55 years, Leon Darden. Caring son

Danny and wife Sonya, of Doyline, LA. Devoted daughter Kristi and husband Mike Murray of Pleasant Hill, LA. Five beautiful grandchildren, Cameron and Wife Christie, Christopher, Katie Lynn & Kristin Claire, Two precious great-grandchildren Dalton and Brandt. One Sister Sue Reinhardt of Chapel Hill, NC and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Jo is preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, in-laws and one Godchild

Heather Ann Fazenbaker.

Pallbearers will be Ted Lowery, James Morgan, Johnny Murray, Ron Payne, Harry

Solomon & Wayne Veatch.

Honorary Pallbearers are John Burns, Jerry Chandler, Jerry Davis, Wayne Earp,

Nathaniel Fazenbaker & Jim Smith.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the American Cancer Society, St. Jude’s, First United Methodist Family Life Center Bldg. Fund or Shriner’s Childrens Hospital.

The family would like to express special thanks to Dr. Daniel Moller and the outstanding medical staff at WK Pierremont, especially the nursing staff on the 6th and 8th floor, Dr. “D” at Feist-Weiller Cancer Center and caring members of Louisiana Home Health.

You all touched our hearts and will never be forgotten.