Darlene Rafteseth

Darlene L. Rafteseth, age 88, of Sauk Centre, died Friday, September 29, 2017 at CentraCare Health Nursing Home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, October 5th at First Lutheran Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Mike Carlson officiating. Interment will take place Friday, October 6th in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery, Little Falls, MN.

Visitation will be from 12 Noon to 2 p.m. Thursday at First Lutheran Church.

Darlene LaVerne Zarbok, daughter of Emil and Esther (Ziesemer) Zarbok was born June 1, 1929 in Forada, Minnesota. On July 7, 1929, Darlene was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church in Alexandria. She was confirmed June 13, 1943 at Saint Paul's Lutheran Church in West Miltona. Graduating from Parkers Prairie High School in 1947, Darlene was a bookkeeper at the Co-op Creamery in Alexandria for five years. She moved to Minneapolis and worked in the accounting section of the home office of Gamble Skogmo. While in Minneapolis, Darlene graduated from the Minneapolis School of Business and then was employed as secretary for Armstrong Cork Company in Minneapolis. On April 11, 1959, she was united in marriage to Kenneth J. Rafteseth in Zion Lutheran Church, Alexandria, and continued working until having a family. Darlene was a homemaker and a mother of their two children until 1973 when, with her husband, purchased a hardware store in Sauk Centre which they operated until 1985.

Darlene was a member of First Lutheran Church in Sauk Centre and was an active member of the Eagles Club in Sauk Centre.

Survivors include her husband of 58 years, Ken; son and daughter-in-law, Dale and Kelly Rafteseth of Albany; daughter, Donna Rafteseth of Hendersonville, NC; grandsons, Adam Rafteseth and Matthew Rafteseth, both of Albany; and sister, Myrdene (Don) Meyer of Owatonna; other relatives and friends.

Darlene was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Esther Zarbok; brother, Norbert Zarbok; and sister Lorna Fiebranz.
Arrangements were handled by Patton-Schad Funeral & Cremation Services in Sauk Centre.