HORTON

Darlene J. Horton, 73, of Southern Pines, died Sunday, April 4, 2010, at her daughter’s home in Florida.
Darlene was born March 23, 1937, in Litchfield, Minn., to the late Frank and Mary Theisen. She was the oldest of five children. Her sisters Carol, Mary and Kerri reside in Minnesota, and her brother, Daryl, passed away in 1984.
Darlene received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and her master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maryland. Darlene retired to North Carolina in 2002 after serving many years as a budget manager for the Prince George’s County Government in Maryland.
After coming to Southern Pines, she invested her heart and time into her church, the League of Women Voters and various community organizations. She enjoyed reading, politics, gardening and the pleasures of finding beautiful creations from artists in pottery, painting and creative artwork. She loved her three dogs very much.
She is survived by her son, Christopher Horton; her daughter, Leslie Dempsey; and her eight grandchildren, Shannon, Brady and Grant Horton and Chaz, Lauren, Regan, Corinne and Nolan Dempsey.
The family will receive friends at the home of Tom and Libby Marsh Sunday, April 25, from 3 to 5 p.m.
In honor of her love for animals, memorials may be sent to The Haven-Friends for Life No-Kill Shelter, 400 Fulford McMillan Road, Raeford, NC 28376.