She was born in Rome, May 7, 1927, daughter of the late Walter and Maudie Jackson Colston. Mrs. Darby was a member of the Adairsville Church of Christ and had worked at Calmor in Adairsville for nearly 30 years and later at the Prime Outlet Center for 10 years. She is preceded in death by first husband, Roy Elrod; a daughter, Susan Elrod Brown Horn; a grandson Andrew "Andy" Ormeroid; a stepson, Larry Darby; six brothers, Troy, Grady, Coley, Randolph "Doc," Willie "Bill," Derward "Mutt" Colston, and a sister, Thelma Payne.
Survivors include her husband of nine years, Louis Darby of Calhoun; three children, Ronnie and Fran Elrod of Cartersville, Stephen Elrod of Birmingham, Ala., and Nancy Elrod Ormeroid of Calhoun; five grandsons, Kirk and Joy Brown of Ranger, Eddie and Amanda Brown of Ranger, of Calhoun, Chris Ormeroid of Calhoun, and Todd Elrod of Long Beach, Calif.; four stepchildren, Faye Darby of Adairsville, Harry and Kathy Darby of Calhoun, Joe and Martha Darby of Calhoun, and Tammy and Steve Moriatakis of Calhoun; seven step-grandchildren, Alicia Darby, Maria and Patrick Scott, Jody and Haley Darby, Darby and Katie Moriatakis, Matthew Darby; four great-grandchildren, Ashtyn Brown, Monty and Mason Moriatakis, and Gage Darby; two sisters, Kate Sutton and Margaret Woodring; nieces and nephews also survive.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at 11 a.m., at the Adairsville Church of Christ with Min. Steve McCaslin officiating. Interment will follow in Eastview Cemetery, Adairsville. The body will lie in state Wednesday at the church from 10 a.m. until the funeral hour.
Pallbearers will be Christopher Ormeroid, Kirk Brown, Eddie Brown, Donnie Sutton, Corey Sutton, and Charles Payne.
The family will receive friends Tuesday from 6 until 9 p.m. at Barton Funeral Home.
R. Dudley Barton & Son Funeral Home, Adairsville, will be in charge of funeral arrangements for Mrs. Mary Frances Darby.