Darlene M Richards

Darlene Richards, 85, of Loup City, NE, succumbed to her thirty-seven year battle with cancer on September 7, 2021 at Valley County Health Systems in Ord, NE. Funeral services will be held on Monday, September 13, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. at Solt-Wagner Funeral Home in Central City with Pastor Curtis Cooper officiating. Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 12th from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be held at the Central City Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral.com. Darlene was born on April 30, 1936, Ralph and Inez (Farlee) King in Aurora, NE. She attended grade school in Chapman and Aurora, then graduating from Central City High School. She was united in marriage to Dennis Richards of Clarks, NE, on July 26, 1957 in Central City while Dennis was on leave from military training in Fort Benning, GA. After her husband’s honorable discharge from the Army, they moved back to the Clarks area, where they started their family and farming/repair business. In 1979, the family moved to a ranch near Loup City, where her and her husband farmed and ranched with their youngest son until the time of her death. Darlene was a 4-H Leader for many years and a member of The Platte Valley Wranglers and Spring Creek Saddle Clubs. She was a great homemaker, raising a large garden every year and putting up enough preserves to last her family the entire year. She worked many jobs over the years to help support her family, including Randy’s Meats in Central City, 20+ years at the ASCS offices in Merrick and Sherman counties, Day’s Auction and Realty in Loup City and the Loup City Commission Co. as well as Bookkeeper for the family operation. In High School, Darlene found her love for sewing, making many of her own dresses. And it was not uncommon to see her entire family at a Horse Show or Saddle Club event dressed in matching handmade shirts. She was an excellent cook, and enjoyed decorating birthday cakes for her family, which led her into a side business as an at-home pastry Chef. There was hardly a friend, neighbor, or relative that at sometime in their lives hadn’t had a birthday, graduation, anniversary, or wedding cake made and decorated by Darlene. A passion that she pursued until her hands would no longer allow her to grip the pastry bag. Darlene is survived by her three sons, Mike Richards of Comstock, Ron (Somer) Richards of Duncan, OK, and Rod Richards of Loup City, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Inez King, husband Dennis, two brothers, Dale King and Don King of Central City, and daughter-in-law Chris (Mike) Richards of Comstock.

Darlene M Richards

April 30, 1936 - September 7, 2021