Darlene Fenton

Darlene Fenton, 92, of St. Paul, died Monday, May 20, 2019, at her daughter, Ruth's home in Colorado. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 29, 2019, at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul. The Revs. Rayappa Konka, Ray Kosmicki, Tom Ryan & Don O'Brien will concelebrate the Mass. Burial will be at 2 p.m. in the Church of the Visitation Catholic Cemetery at O'Connor near Greeley. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at the church, with a 7 p.m. Rosary. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family. Darlene was born on Dec. 26, 1926, at the farm home in rural Wolbach, to Hans “Dick” and Mabel (Christensen) Lange. She grew up on the family farm and attended rural school near Wolbach. She graduated from Wolbach High School in 1943. She became a teacher and taught country school at District 51 near Wolbach. Darlene enjoyed going to dances and it was at one of these dances where she met her future husband, Jim Fenton. She and Jim were married at the Church of the Visitation in O'Connor on Sept. 6, 1944. The couple farmed near Brayton for 2 ½ years, then moved to their farm three miles south of Greeley; where they farmed for 35 years and raised their four children: Judy, Rita, Ruth and Jim. They moved to St. Paul in 1982, but continued to farm until Jim's death on May 27, 1996. Besides raising her children and being a homemaker, Darlene helped Jim farm, raise cattle and other livestock. She was an excellent cook and enjoyed baking. She loved dancing, Big Band music, polkas, and any time spent with her family. Darlene's faith was deeply important to her. She was baptized in the Lutheran Church in Wolbach, but converted to the Catholic faith prior to her marriage. She was a very proud and devout Catholic. She was a past member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolbach, Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Altar Society in Greeley and a present member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and Altar Society in St. Paul. She is survived by two daughters and two sons-in-law, Judy and Mike Ryan of Cotopaxi, CO, Ruth Heustis of rural Fort Collins, CO, Ron Kephart of Mitchell; daughter-in-law, Esther Fenton of Wolbach; nine grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Rita (Fenton) McSharry of Omaha and Theresa (Fenton) Welch of Chicago; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Darlene was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, Jim; daughter, Rita Kephart; son, Jimmy Fenton; son-in-law, LaMont Heustis; grandson, Jeremiah Fenton; mother and father-in-law, Tim and Nora Fenton; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Mary (Fenton) and Jerald Peterson, Margaret (Fenton) and Francis Joyce, Florence (Fenton) and Tom Moran, Madeline (Fenton) and Dave Thomas, Joe and Theresa Fenton, Fritz and Dorothy Fenton, Paul McSharry, Dick Welch and Rev. Lawrence Fenton.