Darlene Faye Pearson Tipton

Darlene Faye Pearson Tipton November 3, 1944 - January 12, 2009 MARION - Darlene Faye Pearson Tipton, 64, of Marion, left this world early Monday Morning, January 12, 2009 after a hard fought battle with diabetes. She was born November 3, 1944 in Missoula, Montana to Florence and Ivar Pearson. Darlene grew up in Washington and Oregon and was a lover of the rugged outdoors, native ceremonies and traditions and was proud of her Indian heritage. She graduated from Roseburg High School in 1963, graduated from Roseburg Beauty College in 1965, started her career as a beautician and married Andy Pulido in 1965. They soon relocated to Tacoma, Washington and started their family. She married Monte Tipton and moved to the Santiam Canyon to be surrounded by nature's beauty and the simple pleasures of small town life, a place where neighbors say hello and business people greet customers by name. She was an astute business woman running her own cafe along the Detroit highway. In her early years, she was deeply involved with the Order of the Eastern Star and Rainbow Girls and appreciated the values those organizations taught to young women.She had a keen interest in outer space and the possibility of life on other galaxies and was an avid reader of many topics. She was a very funny woman who usually saw the glass half-full. Darlene had great fun with her bowling team and traveling to tournaments with her daughter. She loved her horses and the times she spent with her daughters riding. Darlene loved her karaoke, had a very beautiful and professional singing voice and was once asked to fly to Nashville for an audition. Darlene maintained lifelong friendships with her high school girlfriends and she kept them in laughter for much of the past fifty years. The greatest enjoyment and loves of her life were her daughters, grand-children and friends and the times she spent with them. Survivors include her sister, Florence "Frankie" Hucke of North Carolina; her daughters, Ceda Davidson of Northern Idaho and Drena McDaniel of Spokane, Wash.; grandchildren, Trevin, Michelle, Dillon, Nichole, Amber, and Devin. She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Monte. A tribute to her life will be held at 12 p.m. Sunday, January 18, 2009 at Ixtapa Mexican Restaurant, 111 West Locust Street, Stayton. Memorial contributions may be made to the Diabetes Foundation.