A private family graveside service will be held at Beaver Creek Cemetery in Beaver Creek, Minnesota.
DARLENE MARIE BLANK, age 87, formerly of Beaver Creek, Minnesota, passed away Monday, November 16, at the Good Samaritan Society facility in Canistota, South Dakota, after living in Sioux Falls at Good Samaritan Society’s Prairie Creek Memory Care Assisted Living for the last four years. Born September 4, 1933, in Appleton, Minnesota, to Alfred and Eleanor Swanson, Darlene was a graduate of Appleton High School.
In addition to homemaking and raising four children, Darlene worked outside the home for much of her life, beginning with after school jobs at the Ben Franklin and JC Penney stores in Appleton during her teen years. After graduation, she worked at the bank in Appleton.
Darlene met her future husband in confirmation class. She married Al Blank on January 11, 1954 in Appleton. In 1956, the couple moved to Beaver Creek when Al accepted a position at the Beaver Creek State Bank. After the birth of their second child, Darlene worked at the Beaver Creek Co-op Elevator from 1959 to late 1963. In 1966, after the birth of their fourth child, she began her 17-year career at the Beaver Creek State Bank. Darlene then became the City Clerk of Beaver Creek, a position she held for 10 years until her retirement in 1998. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Creek before her move to Sioux Falls. Darlene was a homebody who truly enjoyed being in her kitchen, singing while cooking and baking, reading the latest mystery book and was an avid gardener as well.
Darlene is survived by her daughter, Catherine (Stephen) Thurman of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; three sons, David (Bonnie) Blank of Lake City, Florida, Michael (Jane) Blank of Beaver Creek and John Blank of Luverne, Minnesota; twelve grandchildren; twenty great grandchildren; her sister, Elaine Gerber of Odessa, Minnesota; and sister-in-law, JoAnn (Rodney) Kreykes of Rockwell City, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her husband, Al; her parents; her sisters, Gloria and Gwendolyn; her brother, Donald; and an infant son, Jeffrey.
Darlene’s family sends special thanks to Prairie Creek Memory Care staff for their love and care.
Memorials in honor of Darlene may be directed to ATLAS of Rock County, 201 E. Main St., Luverne, MN 56156.
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