Darlene Mink-Crouse 1944-2025

If a measure of success in life is passing the best traits from the previous generation to the next generations, Darlene was a success. From her father Nick Fittipaldo’s business and real estate acumen to her mother Sally’s warm, loving, caring and nurturing manner; Darlene took those gifts, lived them and passed them by example to her daughters, Kim and Pam, and all around her.

Darlene had a 50-plus-year real estate career as an agent, broker / owner of her own firm and a real estate educator; Darlene loved her profession, hobby and vocation, working with her daughter and husband. She was three times the president of the Warren Area Board of Realtors, realtor of the year and was the 2018 Distinguished Service Award winner from the Ohio Association of Realtors.

More than that, Darlene was an incredible big sister to Beverly Fittipaldo, June (Ric) James and Sally Gelata; and mother to Kim (Jimmy) Dobson and Pam (Jim) Martuccio. Darlene was an amazing wife and business partner to her husband Dan for 41 years; the best grandmother to Connor (Lacey) Griffin, James and Jack Martuccio; she was a doting great-grandmother to Piper and Denver Griffin. She was Aunt Dar to seemingly endless numbers of nieces, nephews and children of her lifelong friends. Darlene desperately missed her late son-in-law, Bill Griffin; grandson, Ross Griffin; and brothers-in-law, Pete, Charlie and Al Crouse, Tom Daily and Ken Gelata.

Throughout her life, Darlene made and kept friends from grade school, through Warren G Harding High, Class of ’63, and her career; she relished her time with Dan at Lake Chautauqua and their boat friends. She will be missed by all.

Since her childhood, Darlene was a huge fan of everything “Wizard of Oz.” From books autographed by original munchkins to cookie jars of movie characters, around her home there is no doubt she loved the movie.

Darlene also always celebrated her friends’ birthday. She shopped for funny birthday cards in every store she visited, from grocery or dollar stores to Tractor Supply. Her gift of choice was a card laden with a scratch-off lottery ticket. There was always a stack of pre-addressed and stamped cards waiting at the front door for the correct day to mail them in advance of someone’s birthday.

Our family would like to thank Darlene’s doctor, MaryAnn Fontanarosa, and the staff and doctors at The Cleveland Clinic for years of treatment that allowed us to all travel and enjoy more time with Darlene.

We would also like to thank Becky at Traditions Health for outstanding hospice care and offer a special loving “Thank You” to Melinda Chapin, who has helped our family through generations of end-of-life care and love.

In lieu of flowers and in order to lessen the blow to Hallmark sales, be sure to send a funny card to someone.

Donations can be made to the Ross Griffin Memorial Foundation, c/o The Community Foundation, 7 W. State St., Sharon, PA 16146; the Ernie Hall Aviation Museum, 4033 N. River Road NE, Warren, OH 44484; or Blessed Sacrament Church, 3020 Reeves Road NE, Warren, OH 44483.

Family and friends may visit and pay tribute to Darlene during memorial calling hours 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, March 21, 2025, at the Peter Rossi & Son Memorial Chapel of Warren, 1884 North Road NE.

A funeral service will follow at 12:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Family and friends may visit www.peterrossiandsonfh.com to view this obituary, sign the guest book and send condolences to Darlene’s family.

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