Ural Carey

Darling

Ural Carey Darling was born to Lee Emma Darling and Carey Darling on March 8, 1937. He was the youngest boy of 12 children. Two of his siblings, Willie and Anna, died at a young age. He gave his life to God at an early age and became a member of Orange Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Chipley, FL. Later in life, he became a member of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Westbury, New York.  He served as a steward and trustee, a member of the Men's Choir and a devoted attendee to bible study and church school for over 40 years.  He loved to study the bible as well as discuss and debate all the intricacies and meaning of the bible. He also maintained the grounds of Bethel A.M.E. Church for many years.

As a young man, Ural worked on the farm and peddled his crops with his dad.  He graduated from Roulhac High School in 1958 two years behind his original graduating class because he had to stay home for a year to work on the farm.  Once he completed high school, he was given the opportunity to travel north to work in pursuit of better opportunities.  During this time, he saved his money and sent the money home to his father to help him to continue to run the farm in his absence.

One of the most significant events in his life was when he married Mary Ann Mckinnie on January 16, 1964, in Chipley, Florida.  Following their nuptials, they immediately moved to Garden City Park, New York. The most joyous time of their marriage was when they welcomed the birth of their children Selina and two years later, Roderick into their lives.  During this time, Ural and Mary helped many from Chipley relocate to Garden City Park New York.  The neighborhood where they resided in Garden City Park, New York was called Stanley Lane and they welcomed many who wanted to migrate from Northern Florida. When you entered this neighborhood which was mostly comprised of Floridians from the Panhandle you were welcomed and felt like you were returning to the South. In 1971, they began their business in Garden City Park, New York, and named it Darling Landscaping Incorporated.  Ural mentored and trained many young men that came to work for him, and some branched off to start their own businesses.  In 1973, they purchased their home in Westbury, New York, raised their children, and watched them both graduate from college.  They lived in their home for almost 50 years.   While living in Westbury, New York, they continued to operate a vibrant business that extended from residential landscaping to landscape construction that included building many projects in Central Park and many parks throughout New York City.  It eventually became known as the largest minority-owned landscaping business in Long Island, New York.

In 2011, they began to visit their daughter for 3-6 months out of the year and in 2017, they relocated to Tallahassee, Florida permanently due to his wife's many health challenges.  He and his wife spent the last 8 years of his life at the home of his daughter, Selina and son-in-law, Gwuan Reed.   He was always full of joy and laughter and became the center of an extended family in Chipley and Tallahassee. He attended Flipper Chapel A.M.E. church with his daughter until the Covid-19 pandemic. During this time, he continued to get up every morning at 6:00 a.m. and work until evening. While in Tallahassee, he continued to mentor and train young men by sharing his many skills.  He continued this practice until he became ill in 2020 during the pandemic.  While he recovered from his illness by 2021, he was not able to regain his previous work rigor. Nevertheless, he continued to enjoy life by partaking in his lifelong passion of reading, drawing, playing the piano and guitar.  He also loved to play video games, interact, and reminisce with family and friends about his childhood and young adulthood.

On November 24, 2025, following a short-term illness, Ural was called home to rest by his Lord and Savior. Ural was preceded in death by his mother and father, and siblings; Ida Mae (Robert) Bellamy, James B. (J.B.) Darling, Grace Darling, Dollie (Paul) Monroe, Tony Darling, Luther James Darling, Bernice (Booker) Jones, Grace Darling, and Iris Allen.

He leaves to cherish the many special memories made over the years, his devoted wife of almost 62 years, Mary Darling, his children; Dr. Selina (Gwuan) Darling-Reed, and Roderick Darling, his sister; Rebecca Hartwell, his grandchildren; Sydney Simone Darling, and Sarah Lena Reed, and special god-grandson Javon Brown. He also leaves to cherish his memory his brother-in-law Thomas (Betty) Mckinnie, sister-in laws Elizabeth Darling, Margie Brown, and Delois (Arthur) Scott as well as a host of nieces including his special grandniece Vanessa Yon, nephews, cousins, and friends.