Darlene Gilliland Tingle Withers

Graveside services for Ms. Darlene Gilliland Tingle Withers will be held Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at 11:00 A.M. at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens, with Rev. Gilbert Prince and Rev. Charlie Laird officiating. Visitation will be held Monday, November 6, 2023, from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.

Darlene Withers, age 85, of Meridian, MS passed away Friday, November 3, 2023, at The Preserve at Meridian with her family by her side.

She was born in Okolona, Mississippi and was raised in the Masonic Home in Meridian. She was a 1956 graduate of Meridain High School. Later in life, while raising a family, she went back to school and got her degree to become an x-ray tech through the Riley Hospital x-ray program. Meridian Junior College was so impressed with her skill that they asked her to found the Radiologic Technology Program. Her tireless dedication to her students gave them the foundation to succeed in life and their careers. In her thirty years of teaching, one of her many accolades was that in a ten year period, ninety-nine percent of her graduates passed the ARRT Radiography Examination on their first attempt.

Darlene was an active member of Andrew Chapel Church where she served in many positions.

She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Wedgeworth (Donald) and her son, Shayne Tingle; grandchildren, Brandon Wedgeworth (Kimberly); brother, Max Gilliland (Scherry); Brenda Smith; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Claude Barron Gilliland; her mother, Blanche Sparks and stepfather, Gerald Sparks; brother, Barron Gilliland; and her twin brother, Daniel Gilliland.

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to Aqua Share at www.everydropcounts.us, her son, Shayne's charity or Roadside Animal Rescue Network at roadsiderescuenetwork.org.

Pallbearers will be Brandon Wedgeworth, Ricky Roberts, Mike Smith, Dale Holifield, Tony Gore, and Brian Eakes.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at robertbarhamffh.com.