Obituary for Darleen Elsie Renken (Wells)
Le Mars, Iowa - Darleen Elsie (Wells) Renken, 90, of Sun City West, Arizona, formerly of Le Mars, Iowa, passed away at her home Wednesday, March 1, 2023, surrounded by her family. A Celebration of Life Service will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at the Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. Rev. Christian Meier will officiate. A private family burial will take place at Memorial Cemetery in Le Mars. Visitation with the family present will be one hour before service time.
Darleen Elsie Wells was born on November 11, 1932, to Roy Fredrick Wells and Eunice Clara Lundgren Wells in Le Mars, Iowa. After graduating high school in 1951, Darleen and Vernon E. Renken had a double elopement in Las Vegas with her grandmother and soon to be grandfather. The couple settled on a farm outside of Le Mars where they raised their five children. In 1967, the family moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa where Darleen later worked as a bank teller. In 1981, she moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and later to Okoboji, Iowa and Osage Beach, Missouri, where she resided with her eldest daughter, Julie, as her caretaker. She later settled in Sun City West, Arizona.
Darleen was a Le Mars Bulldog cheerleader, was a member of the swim team, and competed with a team of water skiers. In Ft. Dodge, she was involved in several bridge clubs and the Welcome Wagon. Her hobbies included reading, knitting, boating, swimming, and watching detective shows. Darleen was known for her ability to easily program an unlimited number of VCRs at once, always adding to her extensive library of recordings of classic movies and episodes of her favorite series. Her fascination with computers led her to be the first in her family to own one. She enjoyed playing games on the latest tech gear throughout her final years. Darleen was always quick with her wit and one liners and enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and close friends.
She will be deeply missed by all her family as they look forward to when she will greet them in our Lord’s Heaven.
She is survived by her brother, Steven (Diane) Wells of Loudon, TN; her children, Daniel Renken of Lake Worth, FL, Julie Jacob of Sun City West, AZ, David (Malena) Renken of Gaithersburg, MD, Thomas (Ginger) Renken of Tulsa, OK and Joni Renken of Springfield, MO; as well as 11 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
Darleen is preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Eunice “Kitty” Wells; sister, Shirlee Ann Wells; granddaughter, Hannah Renken;, and grandson, Steven Clemens.
Darleen Elsie Wells was born on November 11, 1932, to Roy Fredrick Wells and Eunice Clara Lundgren Wells in Le Mars, Iowa. After graduating high school in 1951, Darleen and Vernon E. Renken had a double elopement in Las Vegas with her grandmother and soon to be grandfather. The couple settled on a farm outside of Le Mars where they raised their five children. In 1967, the family moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa where Darleen later worked as a bank teller. In 1981, she moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and later to Okoboji, Iowa and Osage Beach, Missouri, where she resided with her eldest daughter, Julie, as her caretaker. She later settled in Sun City West, Arizona.
Darleen was a Le Mars Bulldog cheerleader, was a member of the swim team, and competed with a team of water skiers. In Ft. Dodge, she was involved in several bridge clubs and the Welcome Wagon. Her hobbies included reading, knitting, boating, swimming, and watching detective shows. Darleen was known for her ability to easily program an unlimited number of VCRs at once, always adding to her extensive library of recordings of classic movies and episodes of her favorite series. Her fascination with computers led her to be the first in her family to own one. She enjoyed playing games on the latest tech gear throughout her final years. Darleen was always quick with her wit and one liners and enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and close friends.
She will be deeply missed by all her family as they look forward to when she will greet them in our Lord’s Heaven.
She is survived by her brother, Steven (Diane) Wells of Loudon, TN; her children, Daniel Renken of Lake Worth, FL, Julie Jacob of Sun City West, AZ, David (Malena) Renken of Gaithersburg, MD, Thomas (Ginger) Renken of Tulsa, OK and Joni Renken of Springfield, MO; as well as 11 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
Darleen is preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Eunice “Kitty” Wells; sister, Shirlee Ann Wells; granddaughter, Hannah Renken;, and grandson, Steven Clemens.