Darlene H McGee

Darlene H. McGee, 87, of Omaha passed away on September 24, 2024, at Immanuel Newport House after a fierce battle of 17 years with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born on February 24, 1937, in Omaha, NE to Sim Curtis and Georgia Kate Edmunds. She was the youngest of two children, her half-brother Jesse Edmonds Hamilton (deceased). In 1955, Darlene graduated from Central High School in Omaha, NE and later that year she married Jesse McGee, Jr. of Omaha, NE. Together they had 4 Children, Jesse McGee, III, Charmaine Renee McGee, Monique Lea McGee and Halvor Sim McGee. Jesse McGee Jr. was tragically killed in 1964. Later she met Jerry Harvey and had her third son Jerry Moses McGee. Five years later she met T.J. Robinson and had her fourth son and sixth child Avery Terrence Robinson.

Darlene was a gifted pianist, organist and accordionist. She was an amazing child prodigy as she began playing any instrument with piano keys at the tender age of only 2 years old! She submitted her musical gifts and talents to glorify God as one of His chosen musicians in His church. She began her formal music training (from a German teacher her father selected) in which she began piano lessons at age 7 and organ lessons four years later. Darlene was trained in wide spectrum, genres and styles of music from classical, gospel, jazz, country, folk etc. Darlene gave organ and piano lessons at Omaha School of Music for 5 years and worked in daycare and early childhood education (Head Start and Martin Luther King School) for 15 years. Darlene’s skill and talent of playing the piano and organ over the last 6 decades has echoed across the greater Omaha area in many churches (e.g. St. John AME Methodist Church, St Paul Baptist Church, Pleasant Green Baptist Church, Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church, Clair United Methodist Church, Omaha Memorial Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) and Bethesda Temple SDA Church). Some of her influences in life are jazz artists such as Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff and Aleane Carter.

Darlene lived a very full and fulfilling life; being the wife of an Air Force Serviceman (Jesse McGee, Jr.) she lived and traveled abroad. When her husband was stationed in France, she successfully challenged herself to learn to speak and read French by immersing herself in a French dictionary, books, and working with her neighbors. For a short time in Germany, she dabbled learning German.

Darlene’s greatest passion was learning, enriching and empowering herself in and with the knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! She was furious student of the Bible. She consistently consumed Sunday/Sabbath school lessons, devotionals, Christian books upon books. With the knowledge she gained and obtained she followed our Savior’s instructions and charge to share this “Good News”. She shared and poured the knowledge of biblical teaching and ethical lifestyle into her children, family, friends and strangers. Most important she shared the importance of having a personal relationship and daily walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! She emphasized that our salvation is not about or through religion, she stressed that our salvation starts and ends with our relationship with Jesus Christ, the Father and the Holy Spirit. Only what we do for Jesus Christ will last, everything else will fade away.

Darlene leaves to cherish her memories, all six of her children, 15 grandchildren, 16 Great Grandchildren, two surviving 3rd cousins Roland and Ronald Miller of Chicago, the children of Late Halvor and Elizabeth Miller, her Neice Coretha Bolden the daughter of Jesse Edmonds Hamilton and Darryl York the daughter of Ruth York her late Sister-in-Law.

There will be a casual remembrance gathering on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Roeder Mortuary, located 2727 North 108th Street, Omaha, NE 68164. Funeral Services on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 10:00 AM at Bethesda Temple Seventh Day Church, located at 3725 Ames Avenue, Omaha, NE 68111. All are welcome.