John Robert “Bobby” Darden III, 74, of Smithfield passed away Dec. 19, 2016.  He was born in Suffolk to the late John Robert Darden Jr. and Mary Jane Warner Darden.  He was a retired farmer and was awarded Isle of Wight Farm Family of the Year in 2000.  He was also the second farmer in Virginia to begin growing cotton again and served on numerous state and local agricultural boards.  Bobby was a member of Tucker Swamp Baptist Church. He was a former Sunday school teacher and worship leader at Pine Grove Assembly of God. 

Bobby is survived by his wife, Margaret Cutchins-Darden; daughters, Teresa Carol Darden DeVries and husband, David and Kimberly Lynn Darden; son, Robert Shawn Darden and wife, Angel; step-daughters, Christine Byrum and husband, Jeffery and Jennifer Cutchins; grandchildren, Sierra, Aaron, Austin and Blake; step-grandchildren, Heather, Ray and Abby; sisters, Joanne Darden Jones and husband, David and Jacqueline W. Horsley and husband, Ed; and brother, Ronald D. Darden and wife, Faye.
A funeral service will be held Friday, Dec. 23 at 11 a.m. at Tucker Swamp Baptist Church with the Rev. Curt Faison and the Rev. Cecil Jones officiating.  Burial will be private.  Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Parr Funeral Home and Crematory, 3515 Robs Drive in Suffolk.  In lieu of flowers memorial donation may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Road S.W., Lilburn, GA 30047, www.LBDA.org.  Condolences may be registered online at www.parrfuneralhome.com.