Darlene Hilgren

Darlene Gloria Huwe was born in Parkers Prairie, MN to parents Winnie & Clarence Huwe on May 1, 1928. She was the middle of five children, growing up in a house with just two bedrooms. She was baptized May 1928 and confirmed in 1942. She was a lifelong member of Immanual Lutheran Church in Parkers Prairie.

She graduated from Parkers Prairie High School in 1946. Darlene worked for a year in the school office. After graduation, she moved to St Paul and worked at Montgomery Ward as a file clerk. Later she moved back to Parkers & was a clerk at Blocks Variety store.

Darlene & Larro Hilgren married Sept. 28, 1950. Larro wanted her to be a stay-at-home mother. Their first home was a rented house near Lake Adley. Shortly thereafter, they moved out & Larro built a house on the north end of Parkers, with the assistance of friends. In later years, they built a house on the south end of Parkers, again with the help of friends. As her two boys got older, Darlene was a Boy Scout den mother. She also taught Sunday School & Wednesday Release Time, ushered & greeted at church, & volunteered with Ladies Aid at church for funerals. She also enjoyed the Winter trips to Arizona, as well as visiting Europe, Hawaii, and going on a cruise.

For many years, Darlene gardened & canned veggies from the garden & from a couple fruit trees. Darlene enjoyed bowling, golfing, & traveling. She loved playing her electric organ, playing cards & board games, & making puzzles with grandson Jack. She enjoyed trying new recipes for the family. She was a great cook, and made German dishes from her growing up years, as well as hotdishes, and the best desserts. Keeping a clean house was important to her. Darlene took hundreds of photos and often you could identify that she took the photo because either the camera was angled to one side or there was a finger on the lens.

Darlene was the oldest living member of her home church. She was also the last surviving member of her high school class.

In 2011, Larro and Darlene moved from Parkers to a townhome in Alexandria. In 2017, They moved to an apartment in Alexandria as life became harder. After Larro passed away in 2020, Darlene spent her last years at Walker Plaza (aka Knute Nelson aka Vivie Gardens) in Anoka, near daughter Diane and near son Scott.

Darlene was preceded in death by parents Winnie and Clarence Huwe, brothers Arnold Huwe, Rev. Donavon Huwe, and Harry Dean Huwe. She is survived by sister Joanne Huwe of Alexandria, children Diane (Bob) Gambrel, Brooklyn Park, MN, Shelly (Sam) Leitheiser, Marietta, Ga, Randy (Cynthia) Hilgren, Ashland, MA, Scott Hilgren, Champlin, MN, three grandchildren & two great grandchildren

Darlene passed away on June 12, 2025 at Vive (aka Knute Nelson) nursing home in Anoka, MN at the age of 97. The funeral service will be held Tuesday July 22, 2025 at 10:30 am at the Evans-Norby Funeral Home at 34 - 2nd St, Osseo, MN, with visitation from 9:30-10:30 am. Burial will be at Parkers Prairie Cemetery at a later time.