Monday morning, May 17, 1948, just before 3:30 a.m. in the darkest reaches of the night, Judith Darlene brought to the loving family of Martin Edward and Elizabeth Helen Denton the gift of delight and laughter. She joined her older brother Tony. Within a week, Sunday, May 23rd, she began her faith journey in the waters of baptism at St. Anthony Church in Louisville, Ky. In 1953, Darlene got to welcome a baby brother, Michael, into the family. By the time she was 6 and ready to begin school, the family moved to the country in Pleasure Ridge Park. She made her first Communion on Sunday May 6, 1956, at St. Paul, Pleasure Ridge, and was confirmed one week later on May 14th at St. Paul.
While still in elementary school, Darlene’s father was injured at work and for some time he was not able to return. Her mother began working outside the family and Darlene stepped up to take care of her little brother, Michael. This mutually supportive relationship continued throughout their lives. Darlene completed high school at Angela Merici in Louisville getting to know the Ursulines of Louisville. She had planned to attend the University of Kentucky and was advised by her uncle and high school teachers to choose a smaller college. So, in 1996, she came to Brescia College in Owensboro – sight unseen. She fell in love with the college, the students and her Ursuline teachers. She graduated with a major in history and minor in psychology, and a secondary education teacher’s certificate.
She taught for two years in public schools at Greenville, Ky., then spent another year at Brescia earning an elementary teacher’s certification to add to her credentials. She spent the next nine years at Trinity High School in Whitesville, Ky., while obtaining a master’s degree, getting to know more of the Ursuline Sisters, and deepening her life of faith and commitment to community service. One day while enjoying a ride through the countryside in Daviess County she suddenly said to herself, “I am going to enter the convent.” This was a response to a burning desire to live a life of service to others.
On Tuesday, July 27, 1982, she became a postulant in the Ursuline community. Within a week as a postulant, Darlene joined the staff at St. Romuald High School in Hardinsburg, Ky. On Friday, July 29, 1983, she was invested into the novitiate (first to do so without the veil). That year she lost her mother.
Her canonical year behind her, she taught at St. Brigid Elementary School in Vine Grove, Ky. After another year, on Sunday, July 21, 1985, in her dusty rose dress, Sister Darlene made temporary vows. But God had not finished with leading Darlene in new explorations of what her “definite service” would be. Although Sister got a dispensation from her vows in 1987, for the next five years she continued to listen to and examine the call of God. By 1992, while principal at Saints Simon and Jude in Louisville, she shared her further discernment and asked that the bonds linking her to the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph be reinstated. That June, she renewed her vows and continued as principal at Saints Simon and Jude.
In 1994, she returned to Mount Saint Joseph to serve as director of the Conference and Retreat Center and initiate its renovation. On Sunday, July 16, 1995, Sister Darlene made final vows. In 1997, she accepted one more leg in her journey and served as director of Bergamo Retreat Center in Dayton, Ohio. In l998, at the invitation of the pastor, she accepted the responsibility of pastoral associate at Saint Helen Parish in the Louisville suburb of Shively. There were no boundaries to her ability to address the needs of the parish. She taught RCIA and spirituality classes; worked with women’s groups and youth; developed leadership among parishioners; and collaborated with other churches and civic groups in caring for the poor and underprivileged in the area. She was on the Board of the Shively Area Ministries, leading/inspiring people to become united in authentic witness to Gospel values in their daily intercourse with all of society.
When Sister Darlene’s deteriorating health prevented her from being physically present in the parish, she spent her last few months at Maple Mount in Saint Joseph Villa. As the sun left the sky on Monday night, September 5, 2011, God took her home, assuring her that she had completed that “definite service” that had been her life-long charge – lifting up Christ for all to serve, hearts united living as one.
Following the Mass of Resurrection, Sister Darlene’s remains were carried, in solemn procession accompanied by a great number of adults from the Saint Helen-Shively area; family; former students; and the Ursuline Sisters, to Mount Saint Joseph Cemetery for burial.