Darlene Marie Lees Kemerling Peters was born on January 8, 1928 to John and Edith Lees in Mead, Nebraska. While growing up she lived in the Ithaca, Memphis and Mead. Her family then moved to Wahoo where she attended District 70 grade school and graduated from Wahoo High School in 1946. After graduation she worked at the local Wigwam Café in Wahoo and then Bankers Life Insurance in Lincoln.
She married Darrell Kemerling on 2-12-1950 in which they moved to a farm near Malmo. Here is where they started their family, having four children; Danny Joe, Robert Dean, Gloria Jean and Marcia Darlene. After 6 years on the farm, they relocated to Malmo, in which they operated a local grocery store. In 1972, they moved to Wahoo. In December of 2002, her husband, Darrell of 52 years, passed away.
Throughout the years Darlene had many local positions, working at Hakels Café near Weston, ASCS office in Wahoo, Hellstar Manufacturing in Wahoo and finishing out her working career at Saunders County Care Center in Wahoo for a total of 21 years. She retired in January of 2005 at the young age of 77.
Darlene had a love for the outdoors and enjoyed working in her yard and taking care of her flowers. You could always find her sitting in her screened-in porch enjoying the evening hours. She loved to talk about her bus tour trips she took in her later years throughout the country. After retirement she also spent a few winters down in the Texas area with friends.
In 2009, this young bride of 81 years, surprised us all with a marriage to a high school friend, Jim Peters. His name was mentioned throughout her life as “the group that rode horses”. She and Jim lived in Lincoln until his passing in 2015. She then moved back to Wahoo to be near family and friends.
This spunky little lady was a hard- working, determined, bull- headed, pretty darn handy with a never give up attitude and did it all with a smile on her face!
She is survived by her children: Danny (Salli) Kemerling, Bob Kemerling, Gloria (Gary) Chmelka, Marcia (Rick) Woita. Grandchildren: Justin (Katie) Kemerling, Zach (Amy) Kemerling, Tannya (Mark) Znamenacek, Ashleigh (Bryan) Banghart, Shana Kemerling, Erika ( Dan) Volk, Alicia Brown, Jason (Megan) Woita, Ahern (Jay) Woita, Brent Woita, 21 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by stepdaughters: Jean (Jay) Shaffer, Lori (Joe) Kennedy. There are also numerous step-grandchildren and step great-grandchildren
