Darlene Gertrude Larson

The service will be live-streamed

Darlene G. Larson, age 94, of Paynesville and formerly of Belgrade, passed away peacefully Wednesday, January 14, at Benedictine Assumption Home in Cold Spring.

A celebration of life service will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, January 19, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar.  Interment will be at Grace West Lutheran Cemetery in Belgrade.  Arrangements are entrusted to Peterson Brothers Funeral Home. www.petersonbrothers.com

Darlene was born on May 2, 1931, in Benson, Minnesota, the daughter of Clinton and Cordelia Pigman.  She grew up in Brooten and graduated from Brooten High School in 1949.  On October 8, 1949, Darlene was united in marriage to Raymond Larson and they made their home on a farm near Belgrade.  Darlene worked hard as a farm wife and homemaker.  She loved to garden, help on the farm and loved animals which included assisting her children with their 4-H projects.  When she moved to town, she brought along her cat Garfield and owned numerous other cats.  

Darlene was a 4-H Leader, active in Grace Lutheran Church with the ladies groups, Toot and Tappers of Belgrade, the Harmonic Band in Paynesville and Daughters of the Revolution.  She was also a member of the Senior Centers in Belgrade, Paynesville and Willmar as well as the American Legion Auxiliary Posts in Brooten and Paynesville.

Darlene worked many jobs off the farm too, including Jennie-O Foods as a Federal Meat Inspector, a Switch Board Operator at the Willmar Regional Treatment Center, a census taker, and clerk at Herberger's Department store.

Darlene loved to travel with her family and friends taking many trips and cruises.  She was a member of the Lake Region Good Neighbor Club and enjoyed their travels to many Scandinavian and European countries, South America, Canada, Alaska (along with most of the U.S. states), Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Panama Canal.  Following her retirement, Darlene went to Guatemala to help teach English and the University for a short period of time.

She is survived by two sons, Larry (and Ann) Larson and Steve (and Susan) Larson; four grandchildren, Nathan (and Bethany), Trent, Hallie and Joanna; one great grandson, Luca; five nieces, Connie Gabriel, Nan, Mona and Norma Ganier and Janet Larson; and two nephews, Jack Gabriel and Ken Larson.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Raymond in 2010; her son, Daryl in 2018; and two sisters, Marjorie Burgbacher and Billy Gabriel.