Darleen Baumberger, 85, of Dell Rapids, passed away on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at the Dells Nursing and Rehab Center. Her Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 23, 2015 in St. Mary Catholic Church. Visitation on Thursday, October 22, 2015 will begin at 12:00 p.m. A Catholic Daughters Rosary will be prayed at 3:30 p.m. The family will be present at 5:00 p.m. with the Christian Wake Service beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Kahler Funeral Home. Condolences may be left at www.kahlerfh.com.
Darleen Lahr was born to Evelyn and Tony Lahr in a house in Farmer, SD on July 8. 1930. She attended Catholic School in Farmer until 1941 when her family moved to Dell Rapids. She attended school at St. Mary Academy graduating as salutatorian of her class (’48). She worked at the Dells Theater during high school and later at the Arkota Ballroom during her studies at Nettleton Business School. She trained as a legal secretary and worked for Van Buren and Vogt in Dell Rapids. Later in her working life she worked as a secretary at Farmers National Bank in Flandreau where she was promoted to loan officer, retiring in 1988.
She met her husband, Don Baumberger at a dance in late 1951. The couple married in May of 1952 and made their home on a farm, eventually purchasing a farm near Lone Tree north of Dell Rapids. Darleen raised and process 500 chickens each year, keep books and help manage the business end of the farm. Their family had six children, Evelyn, Paula, a still born baby Rudolph Donald, Therese, “Tess”, Pete and Bruce. The couple purchased a farm near Lone Tree Station north of Dell Rapids. Her husband, Don, passed away in 1984. Darleen married Ken LeBrun in 1988.
Darleen enjoyed family gatherings, playing cards, spending time with family, feeding people, gardening, canning, and baking. She enjoyed caring for her grandchildren and had an interest in current events and was politically active, running for county treasurer in Moody County in the 1980s. She was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church and Altar Society in Dell Rapids and St. Peter in Colman. She was the director of Catechism in Colman. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas the treasurer of Padres and a volunteer at St. Mary School. She also belonged to the Red Hatters Club, Bridge and Canasta Clubs, volunteered at the Dell Rapids Museum and participated in ecumenical bible study groups.
She is survived by her children, Evelyn Baumberger; Paula Baumberger (David Peik), Rev. Therese “Tess” Baumberger (Richard Desantis); Pete (Julie Kuehl) Baumberger and Bruce Baumberger; her eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter; her sister, Kathleen (Gary) Keller and her brothers, James (Jan) Lahr and Tom (Sue) Lahr. She is preceded in death by her husband, infant son, and brother, Dee (Corrine) Kleespie.