Robert Ensign Darling Jr.

DARLING, Robert Ensign, Jr. Robert Ensign Darling, Jr., 72, of Simsbury and Weekapaug, RI, beloved husband of Mary E. (Kalsow) Darling, died Tuesday, (October 20, 2009) at McLean Home in Simsbury. He was born May 31, 1937 in Hartford, son of the late Robert Ensign and Virginia (Kusterer) Darling and had lived in West Hartford prior to moving to Simsbury 38 years ago. Robert was a graduate of the Renbrook School; Deerfield Academy, Class of 1955; Yale University, Class of 1959, where he received a Bachelors Degree in History and of Trinity College, Hartford, Class of 1966, where he received a Masters Degree in Economics. He served in the U.S. Army during peacetime. Mr. Darling is a descendant of the founders of the Ensign-Bickford Company and served as a board director for 25 years. Robert began a distinguished business career with Putnam & Company in Hartford as an investment banker and with Travelers Insurance in investments before joining McTeague & Company, a boutique venture capital and investment banking firm, as partner. Mr. Darling was also a real estate developer and a pioneer of American professional soccer, owning one of the first professional franchises, the Connecticut Bicentennials of the North America Soccer League, during the early-1970's. He served on numerous educational and corporate boards and also coached numerous youth soccer teams and umpired Little League baseball games in Simsbury. Mr. Darling was a member of South Congregational Church in Hartford. His life-long passions included music, sailing, fishing and stamp collecting, and, particularly, cheering on his beloved Boston Red Sox. He received extensive vocal and stage training through his membership in the Deerfield and Yale Glee Clubs (for which he served as manager during his senior year) and 11 years in the Simsbury Light Opera Company. He was also a member of various church choirs throughout his life. In 2002, he founded the Ensign-Darling Vocal Fellowship at the Bushnell Center for Performing Arts in Hartford, a full-scholarship vocal program for select talented and highly-motivated high school-aged singers interested in classical and theatrical music. He was a past commodore of the Weekapaug Yacht Club and a member of the Hartford Golf Club and the Misquamicut Club in Watch Hill, RI. In addition to his wife, Robert is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Lee and Dan Kauper of Birmingham, AL; two sons and daughters-in-law, Rob and Lorilee Darling, III of Westerly, RI and Terry and Elizabeth Darling of Greenwich; three step-sons, Verne Lawler of Mazomanie, WI, Brad and Robyn Lawler of Merrimac, WI and Tim and Nicki Lawler of Kingsford, MI; a step-daughter, Carolynn Holtman of Goshen; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Betsy and George White of Waterford and Julie and Bob Spahr of Radnor, PA; and 12 grandchildren. Friends may call at the Vincent Funeral Home, 880 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury on Friday, October 23, 4-7 p.m. Funeral service will be Saturday, October 24, 11 a.m. at Simsbury United Methodist Church, 799 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury with the Reverend Woody Eddins officiating. Burial will be in Simsbury Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Ensign Darling Vocal Fellowship, The Bushnell Center for Performing Arts, 166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106-1621. For online condolences please visit www. vincentfuneralhome.com.