Freida Darlene Branaman Greenup, 78 of May passed away peacefully on November 18, 2024.
Darlene was born on December 22, 1945 in Denver, Colorado. Darlene grew up being a “mother”. She was the oldest girl of nine children born to Ottie O. Byers Branaman and Glen T. Branaman. With three older brothers she learned to play hard and to be competitive. Out of necessity, she helped her mother raise the last five of her siblings. She was a good student and loved learning. She graduated from Texas Tech in 1985 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, and after that she attended the Seminary in Ft. Worth and Florida.
Darlene married Allen Wayne Greenup in Juarez, Mexico in 1963 at the age of 17 and began a life together that blessed them with two children. She loved sports and was quite athletic. She played basketball in high school and joined a softball league and a bowling league as an adult. Darlene loved the outdoors and would find places to walk wherever she lived. A couple of times she went on what we referred to as a “walk about” and would be gone for months. Her family worried about her safety but they knew that God held her in the palm of his hand, protecting her from harm. First and foremost, Darlene was a child of God. She followed wherever she felt he was leading her whether or not her family understood. Darlene traveled to South America twice to help in the mission field. She was an active advocate for the homeless and participated in the prison ministry and celebrate recovery programs.
Darlene dedicated many years of her life to raising two of her six grandchildren, after raising her own two children and her five siblings. She was a daughter, sister, aunt, friend and went on to be a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She will be deeply missed.
Darlene is survived by her son David Wayne Greenup of May; daughter Dana Marie Roger and husband Bill of Wolforth; brother Kelsey Branaman and wife Lou of Mernard; sisters, Jo Wooten and husband David, Venida Farr and husband Tom, Joy Waller and husband Jay and Jan Springfield all of May; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Allen Wayne Greenup, brothers, Glen Travis Branaman, Douglas Gene Branaman and Deon Earl Branaman.
