Darlene Amelia Reichard

Darlene Amelia Reichard, age 81, resident of Gulfport, MS died Wednesday, March 5th, 2025 in her home in Gulfport.

Darlene came into this world on August 27, 1943, impoverished and humble, the daughter of two Higgins plant factory workers, Irma Salisbury and D.C. Bode, from the city of New Orleans. Her younger years were spent in abject poverty, from pillar to post, eventually to be given up for care to the Poydras Girls Asylum, a long-standing public orphanage in New Orleans. She spent many formative years there. Those were hard years, but she was given an education and exposed to culture she would have otherwise not been exposed to. This fostered her life-long love of reading and books, which she shared with her daughter and grandchildren.

In her late teens, Darlene was given custody of her younger sister Kathy, and they began a life together. It was close to this time she received a knock on her door delivering good news about Jehovah’s Kingdom. Darlene devoted her life to Jehovah through baptism in the early 1960s and remained a faithful servant for the duration of her life. It was through the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization that she met Brother Gabe and Sister Betty Raggio. They in turn introduced her to Gabe’s brother, Freddie. Freddie had 3 teenage boys and also a daughter. Darlene found herself married into an instant large and loving family when she and Freddie married in 1966. The next year, they had their daughter, Tanya, together and finished raising Freddie's sons, Mike, David, and Mark.

Darlene and Freddie spent 37 years together until his death in 2003 from Alzheimer’s, for which Darlene was his primary caregiver. Over those 37 years, besides serving Jehovah, Darlene earned two nursing degrees and entered the field of psychiatric nursing. This line of work was perfect for her kind and caring disposition, and she spent many years working at the mental hospital in Mandeville, La. She retired in 2005, right before hurricane Katrina hit and destroyed her home in Waveland, MS.

After Katrina, Darlene shared a home in Gulfport, MS with her daughter Tanya, her son-in-law John, and her grandchildren Chloe and PJ. There, they spent almost 20 happy years together where Darlene enjoyed her hobbies of cooking, reading, crochet, doing jigsaw puzzles, and watching Saints football. Darlene passed away peacefully in this home on March 5th, 2025 after a brief but brave battle with cancer.

Darlene Reichard embodied the word “love”. All who ever knew her can attest to her generosity, her selflessness, and her deep compassion. She gave all of herself to everyone she loved. She nurtured and protected so many of us. Our hearts and minds are filled with memories of her sharing her talents, whether it was her delicious gumbo or just the knack she had for listening and offering advice. Our world is less bright without her.

Predeceased by her mother Irma Salisbury, her husband Freddie W. Reichard, and her step-son David Reichard.

She is survived by her daughter Tanya Reichard Voorhees, her step-sons Mike and Mark Reichard, her stepdaughter Esther Ingbretson, and her grandchildren Michael, Michelle, Jason, Trish, Priscilla, Adam, Lacey, Tilley, Matthew, Heidi, Erika, Harmony, Chloe, and PJ, as well as numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She is likewise survived by her sister Kathy Duvernet, her brother Jack Salisbury, and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 12304 Three Rivers Road in Gulfport, MS, on Saturday, March 22. Reception line begins at 1:30pm and memorial services will be held at 2pm.

Thanks to all who knew her and loved her. Thanks for the support of the East Gulfport congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th St. Gulfport, is honored to serve the family of Darlene Amelia Reichard.