Darlene Herman Gollop, beloved mother of sons Joel (Gary, Sarah and Sammi), Howard and Andrew (Gina — Myles, Autumn and Eli), and daughter Leslie (Elaine — James), died peacefully in her sleep Thursday early morning, Dec. 21, of natural causes. She was 93 years old.
Darlene Gollop was the wife of the late Edgar Gollop. The couple met during their teenage year, growing up in St. Paul, Minn. They later married as young adults in 1950 and have been together ever since. Their friends and family often referred to them as “The Love Birds.”
A native of St. Paul, Minn., who attended University of Minnesota, Darlene Gollop moved with her husband to Washington, DC, in 1952, where her husband worked in a civilian capacity for the U.S. Military. He continued his profession after moving to Huntsville, Ala., in 1958, at Redstone Arsenal.
A trained vocalist, Darlene was a featured member of the choir at Temple B’nai Sholom, where she and her husband have been active members for nearly 75 years.
She also was an active member of the Huntsville chapter of Sweet Adelines, the Huntsville Community Chorus and Huntsville Little Theater, where she was a featured performer and star of many memorable Broadway musicals. This included Aunt Eller in “Oklahoma!”, the Widow Paroo in “The Music Man,” Mrs. Harcourt in “Anything Goes” and Mrs. Peterson in “Bye-bye Birdie.”
She is survived by her sister, Gloria Herman Johnson, of Mendota, Minn., in the Twin Cities area.
The funeral will be graveside only at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, at Maple Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Temple B’nai Sholom or Jewish Federation of North Alabama.
