Ms. Jerolyn Dark Cross' Obituary
The family will receive friends and family during the visitation at the Radney Funeral Home in
Alexander City, AL on Saturday, September 17th, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Graveside
burial will follow in the Dark-Maxwell Cemetery.
Jerolyn, fondly called ‘Nan’ by family and friends, passed away Monday, September 5th, 2022 at
Saint Luke’s Hospital on the Plaza, Kansas City, MO in the company of her loved ones.
Jerolyn was born in Coosa County, AL on May 21st, 1942 to James Henry ‘Trigger’ Dark and
Ruth Carlton Dark. She was fiercely adored by her family members and extensive network of
friends.
Though she spent her final years in Kansas, Jerolyn considered the South her true home. She left
Coosa County, AL and attended college at Auburn University and Jacksonville State University
before moving to North Carolina. Through the decades, she lived in Delaware, Missouri,
Georgia, Arkansas and finally she settled in Overland Park, KS near her daughter’s family.
Jerolyn was a proud and devoted mother to her two children, Shannon Davis ( Russell) and Dann
Slayden Cross III (Sharon). But perhaps the role she was most adored for was that of a
grandmother, a sentiment heartily shared by her daughter’s daughters - Elizabeth, Ava, and Cora
- and her son’s sons - Rand, Dark, and Flint.
In her lifetime, Jerolyn had an abundance of interests and passions. While living in Missouri she
worked tirelessly for the Parkway Swim Club and, in Georgia she worked for a large Parks and
Recreation Department. Her move to Arkansas introduced her to Questers International, an
organization that brought her countless hours of joy and learning. She was always happiest when
doing yardwork, tending to her flowers, reading, traveling (or rehashing her travels), lunching
with a pal, shopping with her granddaughters, antiquing, cooking a meal for family and friends,
or playing a game of dominos while sipping a glass of wine.
Jerolyn was a gracious hostess, witty, engaging, and always interested in what others had to
allow. She was generous with her time and her talents and knew how to create lasting
friendships. Though she was a proper Southern lady, Jerolyn had just enough sass to balance the
class! She made people laugh, and she was known to volunteer her opinion often and
emphatically. Jerolyn was a character through and through, and she spent her many years
bringing light into the lives of others. Her kindness and candor will be greatly missed.
In addition to her children and grandchildren, Jerolyn is survived by her sisters Martha Loyd
(Charles) of Alexander City, AL and Beth Trout ( Richard) of Hawaii, her brother James Paul
Dark (Glenda) of Goodwater, AL, and a wide assortment of dear friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Glenn Wade Dark.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Saint Luke’s Marion Bloch Neuroscience
Institute or the Saint Luke’s Hospice House.
What’s your fondest memory of Jerolyn?
What’s a lesson you learned from Jerolyn?
Share a story where Jerolyn's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Jerolyn you’ll never forget.
How did Jerolyn make you smile?