Darleen Pence, 89, Mitchell, formerly of Letcher, died Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Avera Brady Health and Rehab, Mitchell.
Funeral services will be Friday in Will Funeral Chapel, Mitchell. Burial will be in Westlawn Cemetery, Letcher.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the funeral chapel with a 7 p.m. prayer service.
Darleen Johnson was bornMarch 10, 1923 to Jacob and Josie Johnson at the family farm in rural Mount Vernon.
She attended Victor Country School in rural Mount Vernon.
After her schooling, she worked at Defense Plant at Bauer Produce, Mitchell.
Darleen was united in marriage with Lyle Pence on Sept. 30, 1947, in Mount Vernon.
The couple lived for a short time in Letcher before moving to a farm northwest of Letcher. The couple continued to farm until December 2011.
Darleen worked in the Storla Sunset Home for 25 years as a housekeeper.
They then moved to Mitchell and resided at Crystal Manor and later at Avera Brady Health and Rehab.
She was a member of UCC Church at Letcher, where she taught Bible School and was active in Ladies Aid at the church.
Darlene enjoyed cooking, flowers and gardening.
Grateful for having shared her life are her husband, Lyle Pence, Mitchell; four children, Clinton (Holly) Pence, Mitchell, Linda (Gary) Fawbush, Madison, Murray (Jackie) Pence, Vancouver, Wash., and Rick (Sue) Pence, Sioux Falls; 14 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren;  a brother, Wesley (Donna) Johnson, Mount Vernon; a sister, Verna (Arlan) Feistner, Woonsocket; a brother-in-law, Delmar (Wanessa) Pence, Kingman, Ariz.; and a sister-in-law, Elaine Reimann, Sioux Falls.
She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Kassia; three sisters: Evelyn Merkle, Yvonne Gates and Eunice Lachnit; and her parents.