Darlene E. Puchner

Darlene E. Puchner

May 19, 1928 - Oct. 19, 2014

WAUNETA, Neb.-- Darlene E. Puchner, age 86, of Wauneta, died at the Sunrise Heights Care Home of Wauneta on Oct. 19, 2014.

She was born in LeSueur, Minnesota, on May 19, 1928, to Henry W. and Laura (Hammer) Balk. She attended LeSueur High School and was the first in her family to graduate.

Darlene worked at the LeSueur cannery and also worked as a telephone switchboard operator and later manager for Bell Telephone Company.

On July 17, 1951, she was united in marriage to Anthony John Puchner. Tony and Darlene were blessed with and raised eight children. Tony was a meat cutter and they relocated several times. In 1968, they moved to Rushville, Nebraska, where the family lived for many years. After Tony's death in 1991, Darlene moved to Cambridge, Nebraska, in 1992, and in 1997, moved to Wauneta to be closer to family.

Darlene was active in her church life at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rushville and at St. John's Catholic Church in Wauneta, where she was a member of the Altar Society. She volunteered as a mentor at both the Cambridge and Wauneta--Palisade schools. She was a devoted mother and grandmother. She was known for welcoming any and all and treating everyone like family.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Anthony; son, George; three brothers, Jake, Hugo, and Ed; and two sisters, Mildred Aalid and Joyce Andresen.

Darlene is survived by her five daughters, Mary Kimball of Cambridge, Ruth and husband, Don Lysaught of Shawnee, Kansas, Patrice and husband, Ben Allen of Kearney, Nebraska, Janet and husband, Tim Johnson of Chadron, Nebraska and, Terry and husband, Kip Engell of Wauneta; two sons, Tony Puchner of Rushville, and Jim Puchner and wife, Roxy of Chadron; 16 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and many, many beloved nieces and nephews.

Rosary will be recited at St. Johns Catholic Church in Wauneta on Wednesday Oct. 22, 2014, at 4:30 p.m. (MST). Mass of Christian burial will be Thursday Oct. 23, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. (MST) with Father Lothar Gilde officiating. Interment will be Thursday afternoon Oct. 23, 4:30 pm (MST) at the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Rushville.

Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.