Our beloved mother, Lauretta Ann Darge ( née Stump) passed from this earth at the age of 83 on October 4, 2022, in Carol Stream, IL, and was welcomed into the arms of Jesus, whom she longed so much to see. We know her sister June, her mother and father, grand-daughter Jessica, and husband Don are also there to welcome her in a sweet and loving reunion.

Lauretta (or Lauri, as everyone knew her) was born to Wilbur and Clara (Whirledge) Stump on July 2, 1939 in Nappanee, Indiana. She grew up in a warm and loving home, with her older sister June and two brothers, Lamar and Cliff, in Elkhart, Indiana. During her childhood, much time was spent playing practical jokes with her siblings and dad (or being the victim of her brothers'!), which fostered her playful sense of humor the rest of us would come to see on a daily basis.  Through the faithful example set by her parents, she developed a strong faith, and dedicated her life to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

After graduating from Elkhart High School, Mom served on staff at Pioneer Girls Christian Camp for a few years, working in administration, and mentoring young girls as she quietly lived out her faith. While there, she made life-long friends that became extended Stump family, and they were routinely welcomed into family gatherings and became "aunts" to us, her children.

Mom went on to pursue a degree in nursing at West Suburban Nursing School in Wheaton, IL, and had a vibrant social life with the other "West Sub girls", making such deep friendships with the other nursing students that they still continue to see each other every few years. She would never see herself as a trailblazer, but earning a degree and living on her own with friends in the late 1950's, she certainly was one!

While a student in nursing school, she met Don Darge at a local church youth group. They dated, fell in love, and wed on September 15, 1962. Always behind the scenes and never wanting to attract attention, Mom was nevertheless up for new experiences with Dad that took them off the beaten path. Their first few years of married life together were spent living and traveling through Europe where they started a family and raised newborn, Donna, in Germany.

Returning to the US, and settling in Elmhurst, IL, for the next 10 years, Mom devoted her time to raising two young daughters. She was taught by her own mother to sew, and made beautiful matching dresses for Donna and Sharon to wear when they were young girls. As her mom did for her, she spent hours making intricate doll clothes for Donna and Sharon to play with. She used her God-given skills to show love in a tangible way to her children.

Getting the itch to have more space and land, Mom and Dad fell in love with a historic country property- a "fixer-upper" 100-year-old hobby farm- and moved in 1978 with two teen girls and baby Heather, to the country suburb of Barrington, IL. They called it either " the money pit", or "our little piece of Paradise", depending on the day.  Mom was never afraid of hard work, of which there was a lot of on a 5-acre property, and Dad sometimes quietly admitted "I could never find another woman to do what your mom is willing to do for me." Whether it was hauling brush to the burning pile, stripping paint and staining window frames, or taking care of the animals in the barn, there was always work to be done, and she was right by his side to help. Us three girls will never forget the bellows of "Laurriiiiii" from the basement, garage, or outside, when Dad needed something, and Mom would immediately drop everything and come running to help. She was completely devoted to Dad, with unending patience, service, and love during their entire marriage. That property became the hub for our family, in many ways, but it would have never happened without Mom. Together, they lovingly restored their slice of Paradise, little by little, for over 40 years.

Mom was caretaker and nurse for Dad during his final days when he was ill with Leukemia, but she cared for everyone she came in contact with, in big and small ways. She had a 20-year career as a nurse in OB/NICU at Good Shepherd Hospital, working the night shift so she could then be home during the day for her girls as they grew up. She gave back massages to new moms recovering in hospital beds, calmed their fears, and diligently looked after their vulnerable and ill preemies in the special care nursery. This love for mothers and young children continued through retirement. When entering their local coffee shop with Dad each morning, she was like a magnet to any young children who were there, playing with them and befriending the young mom. She also volunteered regularly in the Nursery at her church up until just a few years ago. And of course, she was always there to actively support us, her daughters, as we became mothers ourselves.

She used her home to minister and care for others. Our teenage friends would infiltrate the house during church youth group events on the property, or for weekends home from college, and she was "mom" to all. She would happily host extended family reunions, provide a homecooked dinner to Dad's work colleagues, and include those who might be alone for the holidays at our family gatherings. She immediately made others feel welcomed, and there was always a seat at the table for those who didn't have somewhere to go.

Nicknamed the Energizer Bunny because she just never stopped, we would often marvel at how she could still outlast us, even well into her 70's! She was up early in the morning with Dad, but always last to go to bed because she wanted to keep chatting, and she could regularly out-shop her girls at the mall.  The kitchen was her domain, though…she could never sit for long before boomeranging back up, using an excuse to get someone a snack or drink and make sure they were looked after. She had a powerful love of chocolate and would squirrel packages away in at least 5 or 6 random places in the kitchen, sharing her morsels with us while we'd help cook or do dishes. The kitchen was also where she would spend private moments at the table with her Bible and favourite devotional, inspired by the beauty of the landscape outside her window. She would excitedly watch a doe and her twin fawns every morning in the springtime, identify various birds, and feed all the woodland creatures with kitchen scraps like they were her pets.

Mom loved the excitement of watching basketball (being a Hoosier from Indiana), working in her beautiful gardens, listening to classic hymns, and she found cartoons like Calvin and Hobbes hilarious. She always had a twinkle in her eye, a quick smile, and was known to have fits of laughter about something she found funny - so much so, she'd sometimes start to cry from laughing so hard, and it would become infectious. Her light-hearted spirit made everyone want to be around her. Yet her tenderness for those she loved would quickly surface during a family prayer of gratitude or a goodbye, shown through a fleeting tear or her voice full of emotion.

She spent her final two years at Windsor Park Retirement Community in Carol Stream, IL, happily enjoying her time with old and new friends, participating in various activities, and feeling spoiled by not having to cook! She continued to deeply touch the lives of all she came in contact with- whether residents or staff- spreading joy everywhere she went.

Dad knew this time would one day come, and before he passed, he wanted us to share in his own words, how much he loved Mom and how he wanted her to be remembered. "I want everyone to know what a wonderful wife she's been to me…she's been a true companion, a faithful helpmeet. She worked alongside me, and sacrificed for me. She shared in my interests, and what I loved, she loved- because she loved me. She had the gift of hospitality, and she never wanted anyone to be alone. To me, she so perfectly embodies Proverbs 31:10-13."

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
¹³ She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

Lauri is survived by her daughters Donna Wittig (Dave), Sharon Berrelez (Dan), and Heather Finch; 6 grandchildren Daniel, Jonathan, David, Christopher, Kathryn, and Liam; and 2 great-grandchildren Mason and Rylee- all whom she adored and who adored her.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be sent to the Windsor Park Benevolent Fund , 124 Windsor Park Dr, Carol Stream IL 60188 or Samaritan's Purse , PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.