Sanya Mitchell Darby, 64, was born to Henry and Gerta “Marie” Mitchell on July 16th, 1959 in a military hospital in Weisbaden, Germany. She was escorted home to her parents and her brothers Jimmy, Donnie, and Larry on May 25th, 2024 by her friend and savior Jesus Christ.

All of her days, Sanya displayed Jesus’ truest defining trait: unconditional love. Her love was constant and for everyone. You felt her love in her kind smile, her infectious laugh, her gentle touches and warm, doe-like brown eyes. Even in moments of hardship, when her eyes filled with tears, His love shone from her.

She graduated from North Hardin High School in Radcliff, KY in 1977 alongside her friend Brenda Tiffany and twin sister, Tanya. After, came what Sanya referred to as her “runnin’” days, runnin’ around with her best friends, including Jeninina Montgomery, Mary Devine, her brother Jimmy, and more. This runnin’ was often done with a beer mug strapped to her belt, Boston on the radio, and her laugh loud enough to hear across a field party.

As the years passed in a blur of life, Sanya came to quietly accept that she’d never settle down. But God had other plans, and in 1997, she gained a new neighbor. His name was James Darby, and he was a bit weird; but her cat, Booger, liked him, and he made her laugh. And soon, her good friends and coworkers, such as Rose Halberg, bore witness to her sheer joy. Sanya had finally found The One.

And on Valentine’s Day, 1998, they married and became one soul. And later that same night, God surprised her once again, and the child she was told she could never bear was conceived. Their only child, Kristen, was born seven months later on September 26, 1998. Sanya and her daughter were never far from each other, especially after Sanya began working as a preschool assistant at Creekside Elementary. She extended her kindness, patience, and gentleness not only to her daughter, but to hundreds of little ones over the years, something she found great joy and excitement in.

After retirement, Sanya enjoyed a quiet life with her husband, her daughter, her dogs, Baxter and Tucker, and her cats, Salem and Kitkat. Her favorite way to spend her day was going out with her family and friends to lunch or to the movies. She enjoyed movies immensely and possessed an almost-encyclopedic knowledge of films and actors. Sanya is survived by James and Kristen, her twin sister Tanya Sherrard, and her nieces and nephews: Alyssa Sherrard, Jordan Sherrard, Julie Marlow, Tasha Mitchell Pickerrell, Jennifer Banaszak and Candace Mitchell.

Visitation will be from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM, Friday, June 14, 2024 at Chism Family Funeral Home, Vine Grove, KY.

Funeral services for Mrs. Darby will be held at 1:00 PM, Friday, June 14, 2024 at the chapel of Chism Family Funeral Home, Vine Grove, KY officiated by Bruce Clepper. Burial will follow at 2:30 PM at the KY Veterans Cemetery Central, Radcliff, KY.