Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Courtney Marie Darnell died when a tree fell on her car during a storm. She was 25.
At the time of the accident, Courtney was preparing to take a vacation to Hawaii and had just dropped off her pets with her parents, racehorse trainers Cliff and Cindy Darnell. She would have turned 26 on Saturday, June 11.
Courtney was employed at a PetsMart store in Arkansas and had recently been promoted to a management position. Full of life and always happy and fun-loving, she was a creative and artistic person and enjoyed visiting the racetrack and riding horses and motorcycles.
In addition to her parents, Courtney's survivors include her 14-year-old sister Carlee and the rest of the Darnells extended family. She is also survived by her grandfather, Clay Loetcher, who trains racehorses in the southern U.S. Her grandmother Ann Loetcher died in a car accident when Courtney was 14.
A rosary for Courtney will take place on Wednesday, June 8, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, followed by a mass on Thursday, June 9, beginning at 11 a.m. At St. Mary's Church. A burial will follow the mass at Forest Hills Cemetery at 2 p.m.