L. Darlene Granger, 90
Funeral held for W.U. Class of ’39 graduate
L. Darlene Granger, 90, of West Union died Saturday, March 2, 2013, at Traditions in West Union.
Funeral services were held Friday, March 8, at Bethel Presbyterian Church in West Union.
Burial was in the West Union Cemetery.
Burnham-Wood & S.K. Rogers Funeral Home, West Union, was in charge of arrangements.
L. Darlene (Wolfe) Granger was born March 6, 1922, to Philip H. and Ella (Baumgartner) Wolfe.
She lived most of her life in the West Union area, graduating from West Union High School with the Class of 1939.
Darlene attended Iowa State University for three years before graduating from Iowa State Teachers College with a degree in home economics.
After graduation, Darlene taught school in Waterville until her marriage to Wayne C. Granger on March 10, 1945.
She then worked at a military hospital in Memphis until Wayne was discharged from the Army and the couple were able to return to West Union.
Two children, Janelyn (Virgil) Papstein and Meredith (Toni) Granger, were born to Wayne and Darlene.
Darlene was very active in her community. She worked as a bookkeeper at the Granger carpentry shop, was a substitute teacher for the West Union schools, and taught at Strawberry Point and later at North Fayette Junior High School. She was also a Brownie, Girl Scout, and 4-H leader.
A 75-year member of Bethel Presbyterian Church, Darlene was active in the women’s association and served as treasurer fro several years.
She was a longtime member of North Country Club and enjoyed serving as a Welcome Wagon hostess for a number of years.
Darlene’s hobbies included sewing clothing, especially lingerie. She decorated over 400 cakes for area graduations, weddings and anniversaries. She enjoyed needlepoint and counted cross-stitch, and often entered food and needlework entries at the Fayette County Fair, winning many ribbons for her efforts.
She loved to play cards, put together jigsaw puzzles, solve word puzzles, and travel. Whenever possible, Darlene attended and participated in her family’s activities, even after they moved away from northeast Iowa.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Wayne; her parents-in-law, Lee and Beulah Granger; a granddaughter, Brooke Papstein; a brother-in-law, Robert Granger Sr.; and a nephew.
Along with her children and their spouses, Darlene will be greatly missed by two granddaughters, Stephanie Parker and Jacquelyn Papstein; a great-grandson, M. Bain Parker; a sister-in-law, Virgie Granger; a niece, Rebecca Krzyzanowski; and special friend Everett Lockhart.
Memorials may be directed to Bethel Presbyterian Women’s Association in West Union, Iowa Hospice, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be left at www.skrogersfuneralhome.com