Darlene (Grieger) Kearns - Born April 27th, 1931 Died February 20th, 2023 (91 years old)

Darlene grew up in Maywood, IL. She had a great loving family - her parents were Raymond & Olga Grieger - she had one older brother, Bob Grieger. Darlene's growing up years were through the depression years. Her family did well through those years because her father worked for Illinois Bell telephone company at the time. Darlene graduated high school from Proviso High School in Maywood, and went on to Bradley University for two years - it is all her family could afford at that time. There at Bradley University she met her husband Roy Kearns. They fell in love at a gathering of Roy's fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Darlene was a member of Gamma Phi Beta. They married on August 9th, 1952, and built their first home in Clarendon Hills, IL. There Roy & Darlene began having children. Their son Steve was born in 1953, and Sally shortly after in 1956. Roy began his teaching career at Maine West High School, and Darlene stayed home raising Steve & Sally. Years later Roy took a job working at Harper Junior College and the family moved to Palatine. There is when their youngest child Patti was born in 1964.

Darlene was a stay at home mom who went above and beyond to care for the needs of her husband and her children in all of their endeavors. She was that person behind the scenes doing the work that goes unnoticed by most. Whether she was helping her children have all that they need for their day, school, activities, or sports - she did it all without bothering anyone else for help. If there was a task that needed to be done she did it.

Roy passed away in 1990, leaving Darlne a young widow at 57 years old. Even through all that that entailed, Darlene & Roy had been caring for Darlene's mother Olga who lived in an in-law suite in their home in Palatine. After Roy passed, Darlene and Olga eventually moved full time to Sawyer, MI - in the community of Bethany Beach -  where the family had a summer home. Even in the small town of Sawyer, Darlene stayed active in her community with book clubs, volunteering at the local elementary school, and always involved in many church functions in Bethany Beach as well as at Harbert Community Church.

Darlene is preceded in death by her husband Roy G. Kearns (59 years old), and her grandson Keenan Clousing (19 years old).

Survived by her children, grandchildren & great children:

Son : Steve Kearns & his wife Valerie - grandchildren: Russell Kearns, Ryan Kearns & his wife Megan Kearns (great grandchildren Aiden (2) & Rowan (6 months)

Daughter : Sally (Kearns) Caesar & her husband Joe Caesar - grandchildren: Nick Caesar & his wife Mara Caesar, Gina (Caesar) Huddleston & Shane Huddleston (Great grandchild Dillon Huddleston), Paul Caesar

Daughter : Patti (Kearns) Clousing & her husband Joel Clousing - grandchildren: Kole Clousing, Kori (Clousing) Kasper & her husband Bryan Kasper, Lexi Hamilton - mother of great grandchild Jayelyn Clousing (son of Keenan Clousing), Keisha Clousing, Kade Clousing, and Kaleb Clousing.

Internment will be held privately at Hillside Cemetery, Genoa City, Wisconsin.