Lois E. Darnell was born March 19, 1933, to William and Hallie Kennedy Sundmaker. She returned to her Heavenly Father on Friday, February 20, 2015 at Baptist Health Paducah, leaving her son Eric and his wife Liz of Edwardsville, IL, her son Philip and his wife Teresa of Louisville, TN, three grandchildren, Trent and his wife Anna of O'Fallon, MO, Hallie Rose of Riverside CA, Courtney Blair of San Diego, CA., and two great grandsons, Hudson and Davis Darnell.On December 29, 1951, she married Herbert M Darnell. They were married almost 43 years when cancer took him away from the family in 1994. Lois attended Murray State University with majors in English and Library Science. She was a charter member of Alpha Beta Alpha, Library Science fraternity. Alpha Sigma Alpha was her social sorority. She has been a member of PEO Sisterhood since 1970, and was currently a member of Chapter P in Paducah. After teaching for 13 years, she became Executive Director of Woodford County Soil and Water Conservation District in Eureka, IL. While there she developed an award winning Agriculture Newsletter, The Activator. After Mr. Darnell's death she wrote a coping booklet, "Sunshine Beyond the Clouds". This booklet was given to more than 200 people locally and in other states. An excerpt ran in the Illinois Baptist state paper. At one time, she wrote articles for the Pantagraph, Bloomington, IL, and the Jacksonville Courier Journal, Jacksonville, IL. Her poetry was published in: Distinguished Poets of America, American Poetry Anthology, Tears of Fire, Best Poetry of 1996, and recorded for Sound of Poetry.Preceding her in death were her parents, husband, and infant daughter Nancy who was delivered deceased.Converted at Seven Mile Baptist Church, Lois was baptized in the Ohio River, November 1942. Metropolis First Baptist Church was her current home church. She worked in the church bookstore 13 years and ran the church library 11 years. She also taught Sunday School Classes for a few years at both Brookport First Baptist, Metropolis First Baptist, and Beardstown First Baptist. At home she wrote short stories and poetry for grandchildren and friends. She left this world with a prayer in her heart that "All of my family and friends will meet again in Heaven and enjoy the love, peace, and joy of Christ's presence forever after."Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 22, 2015 at the Miller Funeral Home in Metropolis. Rev. Joe Buchanan and Rev. Cliff Easter will officiate. Burial will follow in the Pell Cemetery.Visitation will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015 from 2 p.m. until the funeral hour at Miller Funeral Home in Metropolis.Memorials may be made to the Baptist Children's Home, 949 County Road 1300 N, Carmi, Illinois 62821.Miller Funeral Home in Metropolis is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.aikinsfarmer-millerfh.com