Darlene R. Brown - Obituary

arlene R. Brown departed this life on January 16, 2021 following an illness. Born Darlene Basile on April 26, 1948, Darlene’s father was an officer in the newly established U.S. Air Force. She lived in many places around the world before attending Loretto Heights College in Denver, CO where she earned her B.S. Nursing degree. Darlene was preceded in death by her parents, Paul John Basile, Colonel USAF, Retired and Dorothy Dyke. She is survived by her son, Paul J. Kafka; his wife, Jennifer; 4 grandchildren: Joshua, Jakob, Samuel and Sierra; and 3 great-grandchildren. Darlene worked as a nurse in a civilian capacity and served as an army officer in the reserves. Her professional career was primarily in the Washington area. She was on the board of the National Ballet, the Board of Republican Women of Calvert County, and a member of American Legion Stallings-Williams Post 206, Chesapeake Beach. After retiring, Darlene pursued her true vocation of art and was recognized for her paintings. She felt close to her friends in the arts community, speaking the language of art. A Memorial Mass will be offered at 10AM on Saturday, February 27 at Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Community, 1601 W. Harmony Road, Owens, MD 20736. Inurnment will follow with military honors at the church columbarium. Family and friends are then invited to celebrate Darlene’s life and attend a reception at American Legion Post 206 at 3330 Chesapeake Road, Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732. Online condolences may be offered using the Memory Wall tab above. Please take a moment to sign the family's online guestbook by visiting the link on this page.