Darlene A. Helgren

Darlene A. Helgren, 90, of Norfolk. NE, formerly of Wakefield, died on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at Heritage of Bel-Air Nursing Home in Norfolk, NE. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 10, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Wayne, NE. The visitation will be held on Wednesday from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Bressler – Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home in Wakefield. Burial will be in the Wakefield Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials should be directed to the National Ataxia Foundation or the National MS Society. Bressler – Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home of Wakefield is in charge of the arrangements. Darlene was born on May 8, 1925 near Wakefield, the daughter of Herman and Clara (Longe) Baker. She was baptized on May 30, 1925 and confirmed on June 19, 1939 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church south of Wakefield. She attended District 33 in Wayne County. After completing the 8th grade, Darlene did house work in many homes and worked at Hats Café and Gladys Café in Wakefield and also at the Wayne Bakery. On December 5, 1945, she was united in marriage to Forrest Peters at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at rural Wakefield. To this union two sons were born Charles and Fred. They farmed in Dixon and Dakota Counties until his death on June 29, 1959. After Forrest’s death, she moved to Wayne where she worked at Dorothy’s Café and McNatt Hardware. On August 14, 1964, she was united in marriage to Gordon Helgren at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Wayne. They farmed at Carol, NE until 1982, when they moved to a farm near Wakefield. They retired in 2000. Darlene was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, enjoyed working on the farm and crafts. Her greatest passion was caring for her disabled son Charles. Darlene is survived by her sons, Fredrick (Sharon) Peters of Littleton, CO; and Charles Peters of Norfolk, NE; three grandchildren; three great grandchildren; brother, Lowell (Laura Jane) Baker of Kingsley, IA; and her nieces and nephews. Darlene is preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Forrest in 1959 and Gordon in 2012; and sister, Frances Habrock in 1988.