Darby Jr., Archie L. 

Archie L. Darby Jr., 83, passed away January 27, 2006, at a Longview hospital. He was 
born February 12, 1922, in Haynesville, Louisiana, to Archie L. Sr. and Theo Mauldin 
Darby. The family moved to East Texas in 1928, where Mr. Darby attended Sabine Schools, 
and later attended Kilgore Jr. College and Lon Morris Jr. College on a band scholarship. 
He proudly served his country as a pilot/second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. He 
owned and operated Archie's Drive Inn from 1957 until 1974, and later retired from Baker 
Transworld in 1987. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, traveling and golfing, and 
served as president of the East Texas Seniors Golf Association from 1997. Mr. Darby was 
of the Baptist faith. He is survived by his loving wife of 31 years, LaDaughn Darby of 
Longview; one daughter, Judy Pradillo and her husband, August, of Picayune, Mississippi; 
two stepsons, Charles Kirkpatrick of Gladewater, and Shayne Cambron of Florida; one sister, 
Mary Johnson and her husband, Johnny; two grandchildren, Michelle Pradillo of Baton Rouge, 
Louisiana, and Alan Pradillo of Birmingham, Alabama; five stepgrandchildren; five 
great-grandchildren; and his nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a sister, 
Lucy Merle; and two brothers, R.E. Darby and Benny Darby. Graveside services will be at 
2 p.m. Wednesday, February 1, 2006, at Lakeview Memorial Gardens with Rev. Curtis Jennings 
officiating. The family will receive friends from noon-2 p.m. Wednesday, February 1, 2006, 
at Lakeview Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to The American Heart Association. For those 
unable to attend, online condolences may be made at www.mem.com.

Published in the Longview News-Journal on 1/30/2006.