Alden—Darita Rose Alden, 75, on May 12, 2024, after a long struggle with cancer in Eugene, Ore. She was born on April 12, 1949, the oldest of six children, in Toledo, Ohio. The family moved to Palo Alto, Calif., during her adolescence. Raised Catholic, Darita Rose became interested in Quakers and began attending Palo Alto Meeting when she was in high school. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in comparative literature. Darita Rose would later pursue additional spiritual paths and would remain a deeply spiritual person all her life.
Darita Rose worked at Stanford Research Institute after college. Later she married and had two children. She moved to Eugene in 2004 and became a member of Eugene Meeting.
Darita Rose struggled with poor health and chronic pain for most of her adult life. She faced these challenges with patience, courage, and hope. She had a lively intellect, was a voracious reader with an encyclopedic memory, and had great curiosity. Among her interests were history, philosophy, religion, and music. Darita Rose loved to have long, in-depth conversations. She didn’t drive and so for years Friends took turns taking her on weekly shopping trips.
Darita Rose was loved and is missed by her Friends community.
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