Darlene M. Friese, 74, of Watertown, SD and formerly of Redfield, SD, died Wednesday, June 4, 2014 at Jenkins Living Center in Watertown, SD. Her funeral will be Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at First Congregational UCC Church in Redfield. Reverend Tim Fugman and Reverend Steven Bailey will officiate. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery in Redfield. Visitation will be Monday from 1-7:00 p.m. with the family present from 4-6:00 p.m. at Thelen Funeral Home in Redfield.
www.thelenfuneralhome.com

Darlene Mae was born July 9, 1939 to Louis and Emma (Lechner) Geffre in rural Leola, SD. She attended Kota Country School for eight years and graduated from Leola High School in 1957. After graduation, she started working at Leola Community Hospital where she worked until 1963. She also worked at Heibel's Grocery Store. In 1963, she moved to Redfield and began working at Community Memorial Hospital where she met and married Garrold Friese. She continued to work at the hospital and part-time at Blume Nursing Home and Eastern Star Nursing Home. From 1984-1991, Darlene and Garrold owned and operated G & D Grocery in Tulare. In 1989, they started Friese Sales and Service and continued in that business until May of 1998. Darlene and Garrold then moved to Watertown where they co-managed Sukup SD Distribution Center for eight years before retiring in 2005.

Darlene enjoyed fishing and traveling and collecting Boyd's Bears.

Darlene is survived by her husband Garrold of Watertown; her daughter Laurie (Brad Kruger) Woodring of Clara City, MN; her son Lynn (Nikki Schmidt) Friese of Watertown; one step daughter Cindy (Scott) Wetzel of Coon Rapids, MN; nine grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Irene Jensen of Redfield and her brothers: Harold Geffre of Leola and Gerald (Betty) Geffre of Leola.

She was preceded in death by her parents.