Darlene Adele Edwards was born August 4, 1933 to Laura (Barclay) and J.T. Edwards in Fowler, Kansas. She lived in Fowler for 13 years with her Grandparents, Tom and Mary Barclay. Darlene moved to Quinter with her mother and graduated from Quinter High School in 1951.
Darlene married Dale Redmond on September 9, 1951 in the Quinter Church of the Brethren, where she remained an active member. Darlene worked for Max A. Campbell, Attorney at Law. While Dale was in the service, she worked at the Air Force ROTC at Kansas State University. After Dale’s discharge they moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where they were blessed with their daughter Gina in 1956. They decided city living was not for them and returned to Quinter in May 1958, later that year they were blessed with their second daughter Joni. Darlene started working for Drs. Gunter & Hiesterman in November 1962 as a medical assistant, bookkeeper and Business Manager until she retired in 1987.
Staying busy was not a problem for Darlene. She belonged to Kansas Medical Assistants Association, Valhalla Club, Church Choir and Women’s Fellowship group, she sang in choir, sang in a number of musicals the Prairie Community Theater performed, played hand bells, was a member of the Jay Johnson Public Library Board as Treasurer, served as a church Deacon for many years and loved her church Quilting group. After she retired she learned to quilt and finished many projects her mother and grandmother had started. She sewed a quilt for each grandchild, learned to master pie making, and babysat for her grandchildren. She had a great passion for flowers, and for following her grandkids around in events they participated in.
Darlene passed away Saturday, March 31, 2018 at Hays Medical Center, Hays Kansas.
She is survived by her husband Dale of 66 years; two daughters, Gina (Wendall) Hargitt, and Joni (Kurt) Kerns, all of Quinter; grandchildren, Shannon Hargitt (Marlayna) of Wakeeney, Patrick (Heather) Hargitt, Amber Hargitt, Brandon Kerns and Hailey Kerns, all of Quinter; great grandchildren Kale & Kinley Hargitt and Asher Rockhold, all of Quinter, and Bo Schoenberger of Wakeeney; brother, Ron Wertz (Susie) of Arlington, Texas and her beloved dog, Daisy. She is preceded in death by her mother, Laura and stepfather, George Wertz and an infant half brother.
In every heart she touched, in every life she changed, in every thought she inspired, Her love lives on. We celebrate the wife, the woman, the mother, the grandmother she was.
Services will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 5, 2018 at the Church of the Brethren, Quinter. Burial will be in the Baker Township Cemetery.
Visitation will be Wednesday evening from 5 to 7 at the funeral home in Quinter.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Church of the Brethren or Quinter Ambulance Service. Donations to the organization may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, Quinter, KS 67752.