Belerina Darnell

Belerina Darnell, 93, of Gibbon died Saturday, November 21, 2020, at her home in Gibbon.



Services will be Wednesday, November 25th at Noon at St. James Catholic Church in Kearney. The Rev. Art Faesser will officiate. Burial will be in the Riverside Cemetery at Gibbon. Masks will be required and social distancing will be practiced at the service and visitation.



Visitation will be on Tuesday, November 24th from 4 to 6 PM at St. James Catholic Church. A parish rosary will be prayed at 3:30 PM prior to visitation



Apfel Funeral Home – Grand Island is assisting the family.



Bellerina Darnell was born November 27, 1926, at Sioux City, IA to Jose and Manuela (Rodriguez) Martinez. She grew up and received her education in Gibbon, NE.



During World War II she worked at the Air Base Hospital Mess Hall, Café’s Foote, White Spot and Mystery Oil.



Belerina married George Darnell on March 2, 1949, at Grand Island. The couple made their home in Gibbon.



Belerina worked in Kearney many years. She was employed by Western Manufacturing Co., Emporia Café, Modern Cleaners, Liberty Cleaners and Frackel Cleaners. She had also worked as a nurse aid at Good Samaritan Hospital. She also worked for the Gibbon Chamber of Commerce and was the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award in 1980.



She worked 14 years at Kearney Country Club and after a 20-year break, she worked as hostess at country Kitchen until George’s failing health required her to retire.



Belerina was a member of St. James Catholic Church in Kearney.



She was a member of the Gibbon American Legion Auxiliary Bradley Buck Unit #310 for 34 years having held positions of County Secretary, County Vice President, County President, and Local Secretary, Vice President and President for Courtesy and Publicity for a number of years. She was a past member of the Gibbon Extension Club, Birthday Club and Friendship Craft Club.



Belerina enjoyed family and friends, helping others, dancing, bingo, yard work, but especially making her grandchildren happy by spoiling them.



Survivors include her son, Phillip Michael “Mick” Darnell of Gibbon; brothers, Ernesto and Arturo Martinez both of Omaha; sisters, Hortensia Lopez of Killeen, TX, Dolores Woodward and Dorothy Hehner both of Gibbon; grandchildren, Amber, Brendan, Cameron and Gram Darnell and Michael and Jesse Walker all of Gibbon; great grandchildren, Brecken, Kimber, Londyn and Kellen.



She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, George in 2004, and brothers: Salvador, Aristeo, Manuel and Charlie, and sister Mary Castro.