Ethel Hezatine Darden

Ethel Hezatine “Teenie/ Ma Ethel” Darden, was born on September 17, 1937, in Jones County. Hezatine was the daughter of the late Charlie Ward and Hannah Davis Ward. On Sunday, November 28th, 2021, at around 6:40pm, Hezatine passed away peacefully at the home of Cletha Darden Mclean in Jacksonville, NC, surrounded by loving family members.

A Memorial Service will be held 2pm Saturday, December 4, 2021 at Little Zion AME Zion Church in accordance with the Covid-19 mandate.   A visitation will be held Friday, December 3, 2021 from 5pm to 7pm at Akridge Family Funeral Care Chapel.  

At an early age, she joined Little Zion AME Zion Church in 1951, under Reverend Brown. Hezatine received her formal education at Georgetown High School, in Jacksonville, NC, where she met Glenn Lee Darden. After high school, she attended NC A&T State University for two years. After leaving A&T, Hezatine and Glenn married on January 8, 1962. She insisted on obtaining a higher education, a requirement for her daughters and grandchildren. Hezatine worked with the Onslow County Head Start Program, the Marine Corps Mess Hall, and the Telephone Company. She retired as a childcare worker at the Marine Corps Air Station Child Development Center. Hezatine loved to travel. Every summer, she picked the location for family vacations and always made sure if there was a relative in that area, they received a visit or a phone call. She started the family tradition of renting beach houses for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so the whole family could be together under one roof. Hezatine’s dream vacation was a couple’s trip to Hawaii but she was afraid to take a plane or a cruise ship to get there. She enjoyed reading, scratch offs, and van rides with her husband.

While in Heaven, she leaves to cherish her memories: her husband, Glenn Lee Darden, three daughters: Denna Darden Smith (Steve Williams) of Jacksonville/ Charlotte NC., Cletha Darden Mclean (Darryl Murphy) of Jacksonville, NC, Terina Bradley (John Bradley) of Raleigh, NC., one step daughter, Brenda Mcdaniel (Everett Mcdaniel) of Atlanta, Georgia; one son, Troy Glenn Darden of Sneads Ferry, NC; twelve grandchildren; Antwon, Bradley, Ashleigh, Trevor, Christopher, Aliyah, Arianna, Marcus, April, Alexandria, TJ, and Waylon, four great grandchildren: Zaria, Aniyah, Ava, and Hendrix; one sister, Gloria Agnes Wylie of Raleigh, NC. four sister-in-laws; Ernestine Hughes of Jacksonville, NC; Reddie Mae Bedford of Jacksonville, NC, Minnie Pearl Morris of Charlotte, NC, Dena Darden of Jacksonville, NC. Two Brothers-in-law, Willie James Darden of Jacksonville, NC, Willie Earl Darden Jacksonville, NC; along with a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.
 

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