Gloria Darlene Hanks Slapar passed away April 23, 2022, at Frontenac, Kansas.
Darlene was born August 26, 1930, in Columbus, Kansas, the daughter of Earl and Edna Patch Hanks. She grew up in Hallowell and Girard, Kansas. She graduated from Girard High School in 1948 and then Kansas State Teachers College, now known as Pittsburg State University in 1953 with a degree in Home Economics.
Darlene met the love of her life, Earl R. (Bob) Slapar in 1948 while decorating a float for KSTC homecoming and they married on August 28, 1951, in Pittsburg, KS. Two daughters were born to this marriage, Linda and Jana.
In 1953 they moved to Eudora, KS, where Darlene taught Home Economics at Eudora High School from 1953 until she resigned in 1990 after 37 years to pursue other interests.
Darlene was an expert seamstress, sewing her children’s clothing and dance costumes. She initiated and organized an annual Style Show for her students’ projects and incorporated the woodworking projects of the shop students. In later years she helped her grandkids and nephew with their 4-H sewing projects.
Bob and Darlene loved to travel and attended many International Lions Clubs conventions all over the United States and the world including Montreal, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, England, China and South Korea. They extended their trip from South Korea to visit The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France, Slovenia, and Croatia.
Their trip took them around the world in 32 days. In 2011 for their 60th anniversary they took their children and spouses on a heritage trip to Slovenia.
Darlene was the family record keeper. She became interested in genealogy after college, researching and preparing detailed records of several branches of her family. More than that, she recorded and transcribed conversations with older family members of their early lives, collected photos and newspaper articles memorializing births, deaths, awards, and any other information for any family member mentioned in a newspaper.
Their travels across the United States were often planned around visits to courthouses and libraries for research and cemeteries to take a picture or a pencil drawing of the headstone of a distant relative.
She was teased many times about never being able to pass up a cemetery without stopping. Through her membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution she also worked with others interested in learning to trace their ancestors.
Darlene was active in the Eudora community for many years, helping her husband Bob, a member of the Eudora Lions, in many Lions Club projects and fundraisers.
She was a board member of the Eudora Library for several years, President of the Lawrence BPW (Business & Professional Women) chapter and twice was Regent of the Lawrence Betty Washington DAR chapter. She was named teacher of the year in Eudora in 1972 and 1980.
Darlene was known for her kindness, creativity, generosity and unfailing positive spirit. She was willing to pitch in to help anyone anywhere, anytime, with their project. Her “No Whining” button she frequently wore conveyed her attitude.
She is survived by her husband, Bob, daughters Linda (Bruce) Lowdermilk of Spring Hill, Kansas, and Jana Callaway of Girard, Kansas, three grandchildren, Christen (Nathan) Smith, Blue Springs, MO, Wesley (Heather) Callaway, Leavenworth, KS, and Brandon (Shelby) Callaway, of Girard, five great-grandchildren, one brother Harman (Karolyn) Hanks of Girard, niece Deanna Hanks of Girard and nephew Curtis (Randee) Hanks of Girard, all loved as bonus grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, three great-nieces and one great-nephew. She was preceded in death by her son-in-law, Aaron Callaway.
Visitation is April 28, 2022, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Girard. Graveside services will be held April 29, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Myers Cemetery, rural Girard, with Jan Veatch Yoger officiating.
In lieu of flower memorials are suggested to Eudora Community Library or NSDAR (National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution) in care of the funeral home at 518 W. St. John, Box 258, Girard, KS, 66743. Condolences may be sent to Smith-Carson-Wall or www.wallfuneralservices.com.
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