Jeffrey Darling, 72, of Lyons, IN, passed away on 01/29/2026, after a short battle with cancer.

Jeff was born 10/02/1953 in Muskegon, MI, the son of Duane and Shirley (Chapman) Darling. Free-spirited and endlessly curious, Jeff’s life was shaped by his fascination with science, history, and music. He spent a lot of his early life traveling. During his travels, he spent a considerable amount of time in San Francisco, California and Salt Lake City, Utah. He eventually came back to the Midwest in the early ‘80’s, where he would spend the remainder of his years. 

Jeff loved literature, he would read dozens of books a year, in fact, later in life he attended GRCC and attained an associates degree in writing and English arts. He especially liked to read and write science fiction. He would frequently write about traveling to Mars or the moon, something he pondered often. He enjoyed spending his time in nature, an avid bird watcher, Jeff loved to catalogue all the birds in his local forests. He was also a fisherman and spent many summers catching fish on Goshorn Lake in his bass boat with his sons by his side. He also was a great chef, a passion he shared with all around him. His amazing apple pie will be sorely missed.

Jeff was also a musician, he played the guitar, mandolin and keyboards and was even known to sing from time to time. He had an extensive record collection that ran the gambit of musical styles, showcasing his eclectic musical tastes. His favorites ranged from Vanilla Fudge to John Denver and James Taylor. He also began woodworking at an early age, a passion he carried throughout his life and career.

Preceding Jeff in death are Heidi Darling (Daughter), Shirley Darling (Mother), Duane Darling (Father), and Nancy McGill (Sister). Remaining to cherish Jeff’s memory are Scott (Amy) Darling, Christopher Darling, Tieg (Tiffany) Darling, Jerediah Lockhart, and Janice Hansens Cross, along with 9 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.