Obituary of Darlene V. Berens

OBITUARY OF DARLENE BERENS Long-time Burlington, Colorado, resident Darlene Violet Berens passed away on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, at the Grace Manor Care Center. She was 93 years old. Darlene was born on July 21, 1927, in Russell Springs, Kansas, to Roy and Evalyn (Wood) Schmidt and was the oldest of three children. She graduated from Wynona Tri-Plains High School in 1945. After high school, Darlene enrolled at Beth-El Nursing College in Colorado Springs and received her RN degree in 1948. After graduation, Darlene moved to Burlington and worked as a nurse at the Burlington Hospital. Darlene met Earl Berens on a blind date in January 1949. Earl and Darlene married on August 4, 1949, at the St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church in Burlington. Their union was blessed with seven children: Kelvin, Stephen, David, Mark, Chris, Renee and infant Peter. Darlene lived in Dodge, Nebraska, for 25 years where Earl had his veterinary practice and she was a homemaker. After Earl retired in 1981, Darlene, Earl, and Renee moved to Burlington where Darlene worked for many years as an RN at the Grace Manor Care Center and was a dedicated member of St. Catherine of Sienna parish. Darlene enjoyed traveling with Earl, vegetable gardening, growing cactus and making wine but in Burlington she developed her love of baking. She thoroughly enjoyed making runzas and all kinds of rolls and breads but her (and our!) favorite was her sourdough. Nothing was better than sourdough toast for breakfast or a grilled cheese on sourdough for lunch. Darlene also enjoyed playing cards with her children and grandchildren during visits and went so far as to “invent” a two-handed pinochle game so she could play no matter how many were visiting. Darlene is survived by six children: Kelvin Berens and wife Dawn of Elkhorn, NE, Stephen Berens of Los Angeles, CA, David Berens and wife Luann of Stratton, CO, Mark Berens and wife Gerri of Kingwood, TX, Chris Berens and wife Peggy of Bennington, NE, and Renee Berens of Mason, TX, thirteen grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. She is also survived by sibling Ron Schmidt of Dodge, NE. She was preceded in death by her husband Earl, parents, infant son Peter, brother Roy Jr, and daughter-in-law Elizabeth Bryant.