Darlene Yarbrough

Darlene Yarbrough, age 95, former Legal Staff Director of the United States Court of Military Appeals and Charter Member of the United States Senior Executive Service.
Darlene Yarbrough, attorney and beloved family matriarch passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, April 8, 2021 in Annandale, Virginia at the age of 95.
Darlene was born Theresa Darlene Yarbrough on October 10, 1925 in Atlanta, Georgia. She received her law degree from the University of Georgia in 1949 and was admitted to the State of Georgia Bar. She moved to Washington DC to escape the South and was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar in 1954.
She began a career in government as Law Clerk to Judge Homer H. Ferguson, Associate Judge of the United States Court of Military Appeals in 1957. She was appointed and served as a Commissioner of the Court from 1958-1975; Deputy Chief Commissioner, 1975; Chief Commissioner, 1975-1976; and Legal Staff Director, 1977-1980. While Legal Staff Director, she became a Charter Member of the United States Senior Executive Service on July 13, 1979.
She was a member of the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia, the Federal Bar Association, Federal Employed Women, and the OSD Senior Professional Women’s Group. She served as Senior Counsel to women lawyers employed throughout the Federal Government, who met monthly to discuss issues effecting opportunities for women.
She was an avid reader, particularly in the fields of archeology and anthropology, and enjoyed writing, painting, and traveling. She published several short-stories in literary journals; attended art classes at the National Gallery of Art; and traveled frequently on trips arranged by the Smithsonian Institute and Earth Watch. She was an amateur water colorist whose work was exhibited at the National Water Color Show. She enjoyed lap swimming and playing tennis.
Darlene was preceded in death by her mother Eula Frances Yarbrough, father John Austin Yarbrough, and sister Katherine Rose Robinson. She is survived by her niece Brenda Jean Robinson; nephew Dana Allan Robinson, Jr. and his husband John Andrew Robinson; former partner and lifelong friend, Barbara “Kimberly” James; and cousins Karen Falkowski, Melinda Falkowski Miller, Edward O. Falkowski, and Thomas Perry Falkowski
The family would like to extend a special thank you to Darlene’s extended family at Home Instead Senior Care of Annandale, whose services enabled us to honor her wishes to remain in her home of 61 years.