Darlene J. Stensgaard, age 78, passed away Tuesday, April 7, 2009, at Brookview Manor in Brookings, South Dakota, with her family at her side. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Friday, April 10, 2009, at First Lutheran Church in Brookings, with interment in the church cemetery. Visitations will be from 5-8 P.M. Thursday at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings.

Darlene Joyce (Phelps) Stensgaard was born November 9, 1930, at the home of her parents, Walter and Louise (Pedersen) Phelps, southwest of Badger, South Dakota. She was baptized and confirmed at the Lutheran Church in Badger. She attended grade school at Badger and graduated from Hetland High School in 1949. After graduation she had many different jobs in Arlington and Brookings. On June 20, 1953, she married Lloyd Stensgaard at Arlington. After their honeymoon in the Black Hills they lived in Brookings. Darlene worked at the V.F.W. and Elks Club in the kitchen, while raising their seven children. In the fall of 1971, Darlene began working for the Brookings School lunch system. She worked there until the fall of 1983 when she was laid off because of her disability from multiple sclerosis. She became a resident of Brookview Manor in May 1995. Lloyd passed away July 26, 1987.

Darlene was a member of First Lutheran Church in Brookings, and active in the V.F.W. Auxiliary for many years. She enjoyed bowling, bingo, doing embroidery, and sharing time together with her family.

Survivors include six children: Janice (Don) Gussiaas of Carrington, North Dakota, Nyla Smith of Brookings, Becky (Eric) Sundal of Bradenton, Florida, Patty (Dan) DeYoung of White, South Dakota, Larry Stensgaard of Brookings, and Charlene (Ron) Bothern of Colman, South Dakota; a daughter-in-law, Carol Stensgaard, of Brookings; 20 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Delores (Don) Falla, of Arlington, South Dakota. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and a son, Davis.