D’Arcy Charney Wagonhurst

D’Arcy Charney Wagonhurst of Mechanicsburg (PA) died December 7, 2014, from injuries sustained in a pedestrian traffic accident.

She was born on February 10, 1930 in Philadelphia, PA, the daughter of the late BG. George R. Stephens and Muriel Brice Stephens. She attended Annapolis (MD) High School (Class of 1946) and graduated from Highland Falls (NY) High School (1946). She also attended Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY and graduated from Wilson College, Chambersburg, PA in 1990.

D’Arcy worked for both the federal government as a FEMA Reservist and for the PA Emergency Management Agency in public affairs and public information. More recently, for more than 20 years, she was employed as a marketing specialist and client associate at Charney Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors.

She was the widow of Col. Theodore J. Charney and Col. Arland H. Wagonhurst. As an Army wife she traveled extensively and lived in many parts of the world. Her favorite assignments were Germany, Taiwan and Hawaii. While in Taiwan she taught English at the college level at the Taiwan Theological Seminary, Taipei. At that time, she developed an interest in journalism and wrote, at various times, as a “stringer” for papers in Junction City and Manhattan, KS, Hawaii Press papers, the Carlisle Sentinel, the former West Shore Times and several business newspapers.

During her life as a military wife, she volunteered with many organizations, some of which were the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, and American Red Cross. More recently, she volunteered at the PA State Museum for 6 years; was Hampden Twp. representative on the West Shore Library Board for 10 years; was an active member, on the Board and president of the Friends of Historic Peace Church, Hampden Twp. for more than 30 years: class president and secretary for 5 years of the Vassar Class of 1950 and served two terms on the Alumnae Board of Wilson College, and as a volunteer for more than 20 years for the Tri County Assoc. for the Blind (now Vision Resources of Central PA). She was always active in her church, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Mechanicsburg, serving as a lector, money counter, on the Inreach Committee, several search committees and as a past vestry member. Other groups she belonged to were the Friendship Force International, the WSYMCA Genealogical Club, Harrisburg Civic Club, the PA Wine Society, Harrisburg Bicycle Club and the Keystone Capital and Cumberland Valley chapters of the Military Officers’ Association of America and the Harrisburg Foreign Policy Association.

She is survived by her son, Col. (ret) Douglas T. Charney (Sheri) of Lewisberry, PA and daughter, Col. Christine Cook (Kenneth) of Ann Arbor, MI; three step children, Col. (ret) Jefferey A. Wagonhurst (Susan), Fairfax Station, VA; Dianne Monza (Vincent), Durango, CO and Carole Wagonhurst, Faber, VA; grandchildren D’Arcy Cook and Paul Cook, Alyssa Dugan and Tyler Dugan, Gretchen (Wagonhurst) Saluja, Jeffrey Wagonhurst, JR, Nicholas Wagonhurst and one great grandchild, Lila Hintz. Also her brother, Ltc, (ret) Robert G. Stephens (Lilla) of Lake Placid, NY and Madeira Beach, FL and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be at Parthemore Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 1303 Bridge Street, New Cumberland on Sunday, December 14 from 4:00-6:00 PM. Services will be held Monday, December 15 at 11:00 AM at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 8 E. Keller Street, Mechanicsburg with the Rev. Dr. Christopher Perry Mason assisted by the Rev. Clifford Liu. In lieu of flowers, if desired, friends may contribute to the Friends of Historic Peace Church, PO Box 3034, Shiremanstown, PA 17011, Vision Resources of Central PA, 1130 S. 19th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104, or St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 8 E. Keller Street, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.

For directions or to send messages of condolence to the family, please visit www.Parthemore.com.