Dorothy Darden to celebrate 100th birthday
Dorothy Darden, a longtime and influential Bandera resident, is preparing to celebrate her 100th birthday on Thursday, Jan. 29.
Darden is widely known in the community for bringing yoga to the Bandera Senior Center more than 29 years ago and for her longstanding willingness to help others.
Before settling in Bandera, Darden worked as a nurse at Methodist Hospital in Dallas following World War II, where she served on the tuberculosis ward.
It was there that she met Sam Darden, a patient whose persistence over the course of a year eventually led to marriage.
The couple completed their court paperwork in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and later held a wedding ceremony in New York City.
Their marriage was featured on the television program Bride and Groom, which awarded the couple household gifts including a bedroom set, dishwasher, sewing machine, vacuum, napkins and silverware.
A lifelong Democrat, Darden said moving to politically conservative Bandera did not deter her own civic involvement.
She later served on the Bandera City Council and as mayor pro tem. Her husband, Sam, an attorney, also served as Bandera’s district attorney.
Darden has long emphasized civic engagement and community involvement, spending much of her time organizing political events.
She said she was proud to have shaken hands with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton at the Texas Showdown in 2008.
Following Sam’s death 30 years ago, Darden has remained the matriarch of her family. She has three children, seven grandchildren — who call her “Magra” — and 10 great-grandchildren.
Her travels have taken her to destinations including Mexico, Canada, Alaska, Australia, Peru, Russia and Hong Kong.
In her personal time, Darden enjoys Big Band music and baking. She said her favorite recipes are her chocolate sheet cake and bon bons.
Drawing on a century of life experience, Darden offered advice she lives by.
“Be as good as you’d like other people to be to you,” she said. “Don’t race too fast through life. You can’t. Just take life for what it’s worth to you, and give back as much as you can. Don’t hesitate to show emotion. Keep in touch with your family and let them keep in touch with you if you can.”
When asked her secret to longevity, Darden said it comes down to exercise, eating healthy — and always having chocolate.
Her family plans to mark her 100th birthday with a painted timeline highlighting key moments from her life. In a statement, they described her as a guiding force in their lives.
“Dorothy is frank and fair, but above all, she is endlessly generous — open, loving, and welcoming to everyone who enters her life,” the family said. “She is the matriarch of our family in every sense of the word, and truly our everything. Celebrating her 100th birthday is not just a milestone for her, but a profound moment for all of us who have been shaped by her love.”
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