A service of remembrance was held Friday, Oct. 31, at First United Methodist Church in Jefferson for Darlene Wullenwaber, 86, of Jefferson. The Rev Julie Poulsen offered words of comfort. Interment was at Pilot Mound Cemetery in Pilot Mound.
Casket bearers were Mark Holt, Tony Thornburg, Taylor Thornburg, Joel Munson, Kolby Munson and Kale Munson. Honorary bearers were John Brown, Kolton Munson, Kinnick Munson, Jason Edson, Brandon Songer, Brian Holt, Julien Metrot, Pete Sawyer, Josh Holmberg, Pete Sawyer, Josh Holmberg and Thomas Holmberg. Gary Haupert was soloist, accompanied by Danille Curtis.
Darlene Marie Holmberg Wullenwaber was born August 15, 1928, on a farm in Boone County, Iowa, to Herman Holmberg and Hedvig Erickson Holmberg. Darlene attended school in Boone and graduated from Boone High School in 1946.
On November 3, 1946, Darlene was united in marriage to Robert (Bob) Wullenwaber at the First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction. Darlene and Bob made their home in Jefferson for 64 years, in the same house. She later resided at The Gardens retirement community in Jefferson after Bob’s passing.
She loved listening to and recording Dixieland music and she and Bob went to many Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festivals. They also enjoyed travel and made several trips to Hawaii, a tour through New England, a trip to Denver on their honeymoon, and many other music festivals.
In her earlier years she and Bob enjoyed roller skating, especially at the rinks in Jefferson and at Spring Lake. Darlene first met Bob at a skating rink in Boone. They could often be seen driving around town in Herbie, their restored 1957 Volkswagen, or riding their mopeds. Darlene also loved to play bridge and have coffee with the ladies. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, where she had also been a Sunday school teacher. She was also a member of bridge club and an amateur HAM radio operator. Darlene and Bob spent many hours talking to other HAM operators from around the world, and even spoke several times to a Russian cosmonaut on the space station MIR.
Darlene died October 28, 2014, at the Madrid Home in Madrid, IA, at the age of 86 years. Preceding her in death were her husband Robert; her parents Herman and Hedvig; two sisters, Helen Edson and Winona Sawyer; and three great-nephews.
Darlene is survived by her sister Marvel Holt of Marion; brothers Melvin (Carolynne) Holmberg, Vern (Barb) Holmberg, and Marvin (Sharon) Holmberg, all of Boone; numerous nieces and nephews; and many great-nieces and great-nephews.
The family was assisted by Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home of Jefferson.
