Charles F. Darley

Charles F. Darley

Iowa City

Charles F. Darley (Chuck, Charley, Bubby, Uncle Bub, Dad, Pop) died suddenly of natural causes on Monday, January 5, 2026.

A time to celebrate Charle's life is planned for later this Spring, 2026. The time and date will be posted once determined.

Charley was born June 13, 1946, in Berkeley, CA, but grew up in Iowa City, IA. He met his second wife, Sally, in kindergarten at the University of Iowa Laboratory schools. His family moved to Rochester, MN, in 1960, where he won all 72 of his high school tennis matches, including 3 straight state championships. He graduated from U. Cal. Berkeley in 1968 and received a Doctorate in Psychology from Stanford University in 1974.

Charley was discovered by the U of Iowa tennis coach, Don Klotz, when he was 7 years old and playing with his dad. He went on to become one of the most accomplished juniors to come out of USTA Northern. He was ranked in the top 20 of the country from 1961-64, topping out at #4 in doubles and #10 in singles.

At Berkeley, “Chuck” Darley was a two-time All-American, an NCAA singles quarterfinalist in 1967, and a three-time singles and doubles champion of the Northern California Intercollegiate Tennis Association. In 1967, he was ranked #20 in the U.S. in singles and #5 in the U.S. in doubles. During the three years he played U.S. International-level tournaments, he faced 10 players who were ranked #1 in the world at some point in time. He started his coaching career in the redwood forest of northern California, where he and his former wife, Jane (Grossman) Jenni, built careers and a family. He continued to teach and coach juniors, collegians, and adult tennis throughout his adult life.

Charley loved to paint and draw, to landscape and garden, to explore streams and forests, to read and write, to spend time alone and to talk and debate, preferably one on one. He was admired and loved for being a gentle soul, a kind and generous man, and someone with great curiosity about life and other people. He was committed to learning and growing. He invariably demonstrated great humility about his tennis career.

He is survived by his wife, Sally, and five children: Jesse Darley and Dusty Mattison of Madison, WI, and Mark Johnson of Chicago, Leif Johnson of Seattle, and Sylvie (Johnson) Stuart of Flagstaff, Az.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Charley’s name to: Johnson County TRAIL, Burr Oak Trust, Iowa City Food Bank and United Action for Youth.

Online condolences may be made at www.lensingfuneral.com.