By the Northside Planning Council

The Northside mourns the loss of longtime community leader Darlene Horner, who passed away on May 2, 2017 at the age of 87.

Darlene moved to the Northside of Madison from Chicago in 1985. Her leadership brought neighbors together to strengthen their community, envisioning a place where people “can thrive, not merely survive.” As a founding member of the Northside Planning Council and a powerful force for good in the Vera Court neighborhood, Darlene was truly a leading light for this community.

Darlene put her heart, her passion and her spirit into our community, pouring herself into helping her neighbors and transforming many lives. The Northside owes her a great debt. We hold her and her family in our thoughts. We’ll miss you, Big Mama.

In tribute to Darlene, a 2001 Northside News article about her life and the profound impact she had on our community is available online at northsidenews.org.