Darlene Lydia (Hartmann) Barry, was born into the world at her parents’ home in Mission, SD, on February 21, 1934, and entered into rest at Morningstar Assisted Living Facility, Rapid City, SD, on November 10, 2024.
Born the 3rd of seven children of Christian L. (Pudge) Hartmann and Leona S. (Knittel) Hartmann, Darlene was baptized and confirmed in the Christian Faith at Zion Lutheran Church, Mission, SD. She received her elementary education at Zion Lutheran School and graduated from Todd County High School as Valedictorian of the Class of 1952. On June 1, 1952, she married Wayne Orville Barry at Zion Lutheran Church. They were married 29 years until his death in 1981. They were blessed with four children, Darrell, Marlis, Dean, and Mary. During their married years, Darlene and Wayne were farmerranchers in South Dakota and Nebraska, managing both beef and dairy herds. Following Wayne’s death, Darlene moved to Rapid City, SD, and was employed for 28 years, by Pennington County Housing until her retirement in 2005. Following her retirement, Darlene became a faithful and tireless volunteer at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, School and Pre-School, where she was a member. She served the community as an election worker, and as a volunteer at Minneluzahan Senior Center. In 2017, she moved to assisted living at Primrose Retirement Community. In 2020, she was admitted to memory care at Morningstar Assisted Living Center.
Darlene is survived by sons, Darrell (Becky) Barry, Belle Fourche, SD, and Dean Barry, Scottsbluff; daughters, Marlis (Phillip Francke) Barry, Valentine, and Mary (Gary) Hogan, Johnson City, TN; nine grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren; and by her sister, Lois Hartmann, Rapid City, SD, as well as a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
She is fondly remembered for her love of dancing and of all sports (especially those her kids or grandkids were involved in), for her passion for fishing and bowling, and for her expert (and delicious) cooking and baking.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, by infant grandson Daniel (“Danny”) Barry and by infant great-grandson Justice Wingate. By brothers and their wives, Lowell (Violanda Santucci) Hartman, Melvin (Deanna Hutchinson) Hartman, and Orland (Margaret Klein) Hartmann; by her sister and brother-inlaw, Bernice and Franklyn (Buster) Craft, and by infant sister Mary Jean Hartman.
Memorials may be directed to St. Paul’s Lutheran Pre-School, Rapid City, SD, or to Great Plains Lutheran High School, Aberdeen, SD.
Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
