It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Joandel (Darbyshire) Middleton, following a brief illness. Joandel (Joanie) was born in Dayton, Ohio on July 21st, 1935, the only child of Emerson H. and E. Madolyn (Hoop) Darbyshire. She was raised in Bellbrook, where she graduated as Valedictorian of the Class of 1953. She also played basketball and was a cheerleader for the Bellbrook Golden Eagles. An accomplished pianist, she was offered college scholarships to major in piano performance, but opted to start her college career at Miami University, majoring in education. She put her college career on hold when she married our dad, Donald O. Middleton on February 21, 1954 . They were married for 60 wonderful years before our Dad's passing on December 18, 2014. Mom went back to college at Wright State University and completed her education degree in 1970. She then began her career as a teacher with the Xenia Community Schools, first at Spring Hill Elementary and then at Shawnee Elementary. She was part of the XCS until 1989, when she and Dad relocated to Naples, FL. At that time, she began teaching for the Collier County School District at Golden Terrace Elementary. She retired from teaching in 1999.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory her two children, Michael (Ann Marie) Middleton and Beth (Richard) Hall, three grandchildren; Grant Emerson Middleton, Savannah Jane Hall and Gabriel Joseph Hall, and her beloved dogs, Suki and Marley. She is preceded in death by her husband, Donald Orville Middleton, her grandson Brett Donald Middleton and her parents Emerson and Madolyn Darbyshire.

She will be missed by so many but we know that her beautiful spirit will remain with all who knew her. If you knew our mom, you knew her megawatt smile as well as her kindness, warmth and generosity. Visitation of the family will begin at 2:00, followed by a memorial service at 3:00 on Friday, June 5th, 2026, at Faith Community United Methodist Church, 100 Country Club Drive, Xenia, with the Reverend Dr. Errol G. Rohr officiating.