Darla Shelley

Darla Chaffin Shelley was born September 8, 1936 in Blackfoot, Idaho to Melvin Levar Chaffin and Lydia Edline Bergeman and left this mortal world on May 6, 2023 in American Falls, Idaho.

She grew up in Blackfoot, Idaho, and was a 1954 Blackfoot High graduate.

She loved horsemanship- she was featured in Western Horseman magazine, was the 1954-57 Rodeo Queen for Idaho state and Casper, WY. 

She enjoyed competitions in dancing, roller and ice skating, and raising award-winning gladiolas and roses. She was the life of the party, and an avid member of The Red Hat Society. She loved to serve others in Alamogordo, NM, and Shelley and Idaho Falls, ID.

She moved frequently in her earlier married years. In Long Beach, CA she worked as the back-up mechanic for her husband’s auto drag-racing business. Over the years she has worked at American Potato Corporation and Del Monte as lab technician, telephone company switchboard operator,  and dispatcher for the Blackfoot Police Department.  

She was married twice, and has three children, Chris Chaffin, of Spokane, WA, Susan Tanko-Manogue of Phoenix, AZ, and Shawn Shelley of NV. She loved her three children and devoted herself to cheerfulness and helping others in whatever way she could. She also has 5 surviving grandchildren and 11 great-grand children.  Surviving siblings are Kay M. Chaffin of Blackfoot, ID, and Joyce Chaffin Huskinson of Helena, MT. 

We will miss her for a time, but know she is still managing to find ways to serve those living and dead. 

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 am this coming Saturday May, 20th at Nalder Funeral Home in Shelley, Idaho, with interment afterwards at Fielding Memorial Cemetery. 

Those who would like to participate in the funeral service remotely are invited to view the service on a live broadcast on the Nalder Funeral Home Facebook page.

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