Celebration of Life Services for Darlene Adams, age 83, of Chambers will be 2:30 pm Monday, October 7, 2019 at Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill with a visitation beginning at 1 pm.  Interment of ashes will follow the service at Chambers Cemetery in Chambers, Nebraska.  Darlene loved ice cream so please join the family for a treat at Chambers Community Center following the service.  In Lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Chambers Volunteer Fire Department.  Darlene passed away on Saturday, September 28, 2019 at Heritage of Bel Air in Norfolk.  Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill is in charge of arrangements.  Visit biglinsmortuary.com.

Darlene was the first born to Pauline and Glen Grimes on December 11, 1935 in Chambers, Nebraska. She graduated from Chambers High School in 1953 and attended Norfolk Junior College for one year. She married Ralph Adams on August 20, 1955 in Fairfax, SD and to this union two children were born, Larry and Joline. Darlene had a 10-year career with the ASCS office in O'Neill. When Ralph contracted hepatitis, she started working at Chambers State Bank. She and Ralph eventually bought all the shares of the bank plus Farmers State Bank in Ewing. She was Board Chair of both banks until 2015.

Darlene enjoyed keeping busy all of her life. She juggled being a working mom in the 1950's and 60's before it was common. Bridge, pinochle, and extension club worked into her schedule on a regular basis. She rarely missed a ball game or school activity of her children or grandchildren. She was a 4-H leader and became known as the "Butterfly Lady." She helped kids find butterflies and bugs for entomology. She believed she could make or fix anything with her sewing machine and a glue gun. Her home was always open to Japanese exchange leaders and students who couldn't be with their family for holidays. She loved decorating for every holiday. In the days of landlines only, she and Ralph rarely missed making 9 am Sunday phone calls to each of their kids once they no longer lived at home. After Larry and Jo were out of college and on their own, she learned to golf, snow ski, quilt, make stained glass, and repair china. She even took private pilot lessons after Ralph got his pilot's license. She spent a decade enjoying the mountains and ski slopes in Frisco, Colorado. Fall always meant trips to Lincoln for home Husker football games. She loved a good auction especially when it had a rare collection of antique glass or salt and pepper shakers. She rescued many cats and even fed strays, raccoons, and possums. Since 1993, she enjoyed escaping the Nebraska winter at her home in Surprise, Arizona. She loved the constant sunshine and watching golfers go by. She was always on the go playing penny slot machines, bingo, dominos, a new card game, or taking in a show at the clubhouse. She spent a lifetime traveling to every state in the USA plus Canada, Mexico, Spain, Japan, and Norway.

Darlene's four-year struggle with memory loss was difficult for this independent woman who was constantly on the go. She died on September 28, 2019, after suffering a stroke. We are grateful to the wonderful memory care nursing staff at Heritage of Bel Air in Norfolk for their kind, loving care for the past 2+ years.

Darlene is survived by her son Larry Adams and wife Gayle, Chambers; daughter Joline "Jo" Adams, Lincoln; grandchildren Mary Barber and Patrick Adams; siblings Muffy and Curt Justin, Bernard and Ruth Grimes and Richard Grimes; brother-in-law Dale Adams; many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death in 1998 by her husband of 42 years, Ralph, and her parents.