Sally Louise Arlene Darst, 85, of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, died December 19, 2015, at the Holzer Senior Care Center in Gallia County, Ohio, after a short illness. She was born August 14, 1930, and was the youngest child and only daughter of Robert Carr and Gladys Erma Kelly Darst.

Sally graduated in 1952 from Marshall College with an AB in Vocational Home Economics and, in 1963, received her Masters Degree in Guidance and Counseling. Later, she went on to pursue a Ph.D in Special Education at Ohio State University.

After graduating from Marshall, Sally served as a teacher with the Boone County and Mason County school systems. Between 1957 and 1961, she also served as the Kitchen Manager for the West Virginia State 4-H Camp at Jackson's Mill in Weston, West Virginia. She was an instructor at Marshal University from 1970 to 1973, where she supervised student teachers and taught introductory classes in curriculum and methods of teaching the mentally retarded. During the summer of 1974, she also served as an instructor in Mental Retardation at Glenville State College, and, from 1974 until her retirement in 1989, Sally held various positions with the Mason County School System, including Educational Diagnostician, Coordinator of Program Development/Special Services, and Director of Special Education.

Throughout her career, Sally participated actively in local, state, and national organizations promoting education of special needs children, including: the State Developmental Disabilities Planning and Advisory Council; the Mountain State Epilepsy League; the West Virginia Division of DCLD, CEC; the Ad Hoc Committee for Standards for Exceptional Children; the State Department of Education's Task Force for Continuing Education; the Subcommittee on Teacher Competence for State Certification; the Counsel for Exceptional Children; the Mason County Continuing Education Counsel; and the Mason County Association of Retarded Children. She was also a hearing officer for Special Education and a consultant for the Behavioral Disorders Workshop.

Sally was a member of Faith Gospel Church in Gallipolis Ferry and, throughout her life, took an active role in community affairs and helping others through her participation in the Mason County 4-H Leaders Association, the West Virginia All Stars, and the West Virginia 4-H Advisory Committee, the Point Pleasant Chapter of the American Association of University Women, the Point Pleasant High School Band Boosters, the Mason County Democratic Women's Organization, the Wohelo Club, and the West Virginia Community Educational Outreach Service. She held various positions with these and other organizations and, over the years received numerous awards, certificates of achievement/recognition and other accolades for her service to the community.

Sally is survived by her son, Brian, of Alexandria, Virginia. She is also survived by several nieces, other relatives, and many friends. In addition to her parents, Sally was preceded in death by her three brothers: Miles, James, and Robert.

Funeral service will be held Wednesday, December 23, at 1 PM at the Crow-Hussell Funeral Home in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Burial will follow at Suncrest Cemetery in Point Pleasant. Visitation will begin at 11:00 AM -- two hours prior to the funeral service on Wednesday.

Family and friends may send condolences online at: crowhussellfh.com