Darlene M. Whalen

Darlene M. Whalen, 85, of St. Paul, formerly of Wolbach, died Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, at CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney. Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul. The Revs. Rayappa Konka and James Murphy will concelebrate the Liturgy of the Word. Inurnment will follow in the Hillside Cemetery in Wolbach. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family. Darlene was born on Jan. 22, 1934, in Fremont, the daughter of Jess R. and Marjorie L. (Berney) Elliott. She began her education in Fremont, later moving to Reno, Nevada with her parents for a few years, before moving back to Wolbach. She was a 1952 graduate of Wolbach High School. She then taught school for several years. She was united in marriage to Lloyd E. Whalen on July 7, 1954, in Wolbach. After their marriage she spent most of her life as a farmer’s wife and mother to her three children. She helped on the farm milking cows, raising chickens, planting and harvesting the crops and raising cattle. The couple retired from the farm and moved into Wolbach in 1982. Lloyd died on June 14, 1987. She continued to live in Wolbach until moving to St. Paul, where she lived the rest of her life. She was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church of St. Paul, the Ray Mapes American Legion Auxiliary and Town and Country Club, both of Wolbach. Her children and grandchildren were her pride and joy and she loved attending anything that they were involved in. She is survived by her children and spouses, Sherrie Oakley of Wolbach, Diane and John Steenson of Columbus, and Larry and Lisa Whalen of Lincoln; nine grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Darlene Pfeifer of Spalding; nephews, Dan Pfeifer of Gretna and Ed Pfeifer of Spalding; and niece, Connie Elsenpeter of Thornton, CO. In addition to her husband, Lloyd, she was preceded in death by her parents. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.