Higgins Reardon Funeral Homes Poland Chapel

DARLING POLAND - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at the Holy Family Church with Msgr. William Connell officiating, for Charles W. Darling, 86, who passed away Wednesday at Park Vista. Charles was born in Medford, Mass. in 1932. Graduating from Abington High School in Massachusetts, he moved to Youngstown with his parents, Charles and Anne. Following graduation from Youngstown State University in Youngstown, he served in the U.S. Army as a medical technician. He received a M.A. in History from Ohio University and later received additional historical training at Pennsylvania State University, where he was a teaching assistant, and The Ohio State University. After serving as departmental chair of social studies at Springfield Local School (Ohio), he joined the history department of Youngstown State University, teaching classes in American economic, social and cultural history, American folk music, and the Vietnam War on both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He retired in 1995 as Professor Emeritus of History. The author of two science fiction novels, Gamma Connection and End Games, Darling also has published two books on American Folk Music: The New American Songster and Messages of Dissent: Struggle Songs in American History. His folk program on WYSU-FM, “Folk Festival,” celebrated its 48th season in 2018. He was a member of the Ohio Academy of History and the history honorary society Phi Alpha Theta, as well as past president of the Youngstown Torch Club, where he has been a member since the early 1970s. He received the Paxton Award in 2009 from the International Association of Torch Clubs for his paper “The Origins of the American Involvement in Vietnam.” Charles leaves to cherish his memory, a nephew, Tom (Kelly) Doctor of Poland and their children, Jason Thomas Doctor of San Francisco, Dr. Dana Doctor of Carrboro, N.C. and Camryn and Avery Doctor of Poland; and close friends and caregivers for the duration of Charles’ illness, Janet Moy and Dr. Thomas Copeland. Charles w...

Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Poland Chapel, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at the Holy Family Church for Joseph Nicholas Mazur, 90, who became an angel with his wife, Elaine Geoghan on Sunday morning at home. Joe was born Aug. 2, 1927, in Detroit, the son of Joseph and Christine (Bauch) Mazur. He went to an all boy’s Catholic school, Catholic Central, and graduated from the University of Detroit to become a hydraulic engineer. Joe was a veteran who served his country in the U.S. Army. As a child, Joe’s family spent summers at Cranberry Lake where he met the love of his life, Elaine. Joe and Elaine were married Aug. 21, 1954, and spent 62 loving years together. In 1965, Joe moved his family to Poland for the opportunity to work at Commercial Shearing. After many years there, Joe became the vice president of Lynde Hydraulics, which allowed he and Elaine to travel to Germany many times. Joe made many life-long friends in Germany. He retired from Lynde in 1992. Joe also worked for Brevini and has his own company, Yellow Creek Industries. Never one to be idle, Joe became a Poland Village Councilman in 1997, where he served as president of the Council and on various committees for 20 years. He always stood up for what he believed was important for the Village of Poland. Joe also served as a Hospice Volunteer for 25 years, providing prayer and comfort to families and patients in their time of need. Joe was a man of great Catholic faith and prayed before and after every meal as well as saying the Rosary every night before bed. He recited the prayer, “Memorare” several times a day. He was a longtime member of the Holy Family Church and for many decades, went to Mass every day. Joe was also a member of the Sera Club and Christ Our Savor Knights of Columbus Council 4471, where he was a fourth degree Knight. Joe was a big college football fan and avid runner well into his 80s. He loved the outdoors and made his yard a showpiece. He would often say, “We have our own park right here.” Joe never knew a ...