Joan R. Darlington was born Joan Gilmer Raysor on October 11, 1928 in Pulman Washington and grew up in Lincoln Nebraska.  After University of Nebraska, Joan graduated from The Art Institute of Chicago and then moved to New York City. There she illustrated several books and did other commercial art work.  Then she began teaching arts and crafts at Camp Treetops in the Adirondacks Mountains, followed by teaching art at North Country School, a private school connected to Camp Treetops.

 

In the 1960s Joan married Sidney Darlington and had two daughters.   The family moved to Durham NH, but spent summers in Randolph NH and hiking with the Randolph Mountain Club.  

 

Through out her life, Joan loved to sketch and paint.  She developed a distinctive style of water colour painting and could often be seen on hikes and around Randolph with her portable seat and painting equipment.  In a very short time she could capture a mountain vista or forest landscape. She always carried a miniature water colour pad and made paintings and sketches when travelling. She said that painting helped her “see” a scene more clearly.  She was also a weaver, furnishing the family home with many beautiful woven rugs, cushions and mats. Her weaving and sewing brought together her artistic and creative nature and her environmentalist belief in making things by hand from natural fibres whenever possible.

Celebration of Life

Joan Raysor Darlington

1928 – 2019

The Randolph Church

Saturday August 10

10:00 am

Hymn: In Sweet Fields of Autumn 

The tune is Cradle Song, Pg. 93

In sweet fields of autumn the gold grain is falling,

the white clouds drift lonely, the wild swan is calling.

Alas for the daisies, the tall fern and grasses,

when wind-sweep and rainfall fill lowlands and passes.

 

The snows of December shall fill windy hollow;

the bleak rain trails after, the March wind shall follow.

The deer through the valleys leave print of their going;

and diamonds of sleet mark the ridges of snowing.

 

The stillness of death shall stoop over the water,

the plover sweep low where the pale streamlets falter;

but deep in the earth clod the black seed is living;

when spring sounds her bugles for rousing and giving.

 

Welcome, Reverend Mary Edes

Prelude: "Pastorale," I and II by Johann Sebastian Bach, 

Dr. Susan Ferré 

Reading, by Max A. Coots

Opening Remarks

Hymn, 34 For the Beauty of the Earth

Personal Reflections from Family

-David Wilkins

-Clover Koopman

-Barbara Turnbull 

Interlude: "Pastorale," III by Johann Sebastian Bach

Litany of Remembrance,  by Roland B. Gittelsohn

Hymn, In Sweet Fields of Autumn

Closing Remarks

Hymn, 13 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

 

Everyone is invited to join us for a reception at Hwerwyl, at the top of Randolph Hill Road, following the service.