Darlene Maloney

Funeral services for Darlene Maloney of Morris, MN will be held Friday, March 10, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at Assumption Catholic Church in Morris. Celebrant for the mass will be Father Todd Schneider. Visitation will be Thursday, March 9, 2023, from 5 to 7 p.m., with a prayer service at 7:00 at the Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris and for one hour prior to service at the church on Friday. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Morris.

Darlene Helen Maloney, daughter of Anna Faatz (Muller) and Richard Faatz, was born on October 10, 1933, in Butte, Nebraska. She was the sixth of nine children and attended District 9 Country School in Boyd County, Nebraska. In 1950, Darlene’s parents sold most of their belongings and moved with her and some of the younger siblings to Morris, MN. In 1951, through mutual friends in Morris, Darlene met her farmer, William “Bill” Maloney. They married on May 20, 1952, in what she described as a rainy morning followed by clear skies for a beautiful wedding day. Prior to Bill’s passing in November 2020, they celebrated 68 years of marriage. In 1956, Bill and Darlene moved onto their farm in Darnen Township near the “Muddy Creek,” built their home and raised seven children. Throughout her years on the farm, she helped tend to many things a farm wife does- raising children; making full meals to feed an army; caring for a variety of animals including chickens, sheep, cattle, horses, goats, ducks, cats, and dogs (She even taught one of her bottle-fed calves, Daisy, to dance); canning her garden vegetables and making jellies, as well as many other things that required her attention which often included keeping both children and adults in line. Darlene was most proud of her chickens she raised and her hard-worked gardens that provided lots of canning time in her kitchen and meals for many. Darlene was also a member of the VFW Ladies’ auxiliary and the Assumption Catholic Church. 

Darlene enjoyed the simple things in life. During the summers she could be seen mowing on her John Deere lawn mower with a bandana around her forehead. This was her happy place being on the farm. Some of Darlene’s favorite pastimes included dancing at the Glenwood Lakeside Ballroom with Bill and three other couples, listening to polka and country music on the radio and the RFD channel, gardening, playing Bingo, solving crossword puzzles, putting together puzzles, watching Wheel of Fortune, making banana bread, going to fish fries and having family gatherings.  She also greatly enjoyed watching, visiting and being around her grandchildren and great grandchildren - those that visited brought a lot of joy and laughter into her life. 

Darlene passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at the West Wind Village in Morris at the age of 89.

She is survived by her children: Ed (Connie) Maloney of Elk River, daughter-in-law, Pam Maloney of Rutland, ND, Cindy (Rollie) Schmidt of Morris, Gary (Terry) Maloney of Morris, Alan Maloney of Morris, Pam (Steve) Reed of Sioux Falls, SD, and Craig (Julie) Maloney of Freeman, SD; her former daughter-in-law, Irene Maloney; grandchildren (great-grandchildren in parentheses): Kevin Maloney (Kaylin), Scott Schmidt (Theodore, Eleanor), Ashley Scribner (Ethan, Christian, Brookelyn, Bryson), Joe Schmidt, Alissa Larson (Gavin, Lydia, Haley, Evan), Chris Maloney (Clara Ann), Taryn Jenson (Cohen, Beckette, Landrie), Heather Baumler (Bradley, Bailey), Amber Hentges (Braelyn, Kynlee, Messer, Tierney), Matt Reed (Kinley, Eleanor), Brianne Nelson (Piper, Royce), Kelsey Peterson (Kaidence, Wyatt), Chad Reed (Noah, Cashton, Oliver, Maverick, Lucas), Ben Maloney (Keegan), Nichole Reed; many nieces and nephews. 

She is preceded in death by her husband Bill Maloney; parents Anna (Muller) and Richard Faatz; son Wayne Maloney; granddaughter Sarah Maloney; brothers: Edwin, Leo, and Dean; and sisters: Marie, Vera, Alice, Irene and Marilyn. 

Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris is in charge of the arrangements.