I loved your mom and dad. The best next door neighbors ever.  They were there for us on the occasions when I needed to go to the hospital--Charlie preferred your mom's cooking to mine! They are the closest thing to grandparents that he remembers. 

My heart still breaks when I think of them being gone.  We were the lucky ones to have known them.

Darlene was born Centerville, Kansas on September 23, 1922.  She grew up on a farm with her two brothers, where she tended to hogs, cattle and chickens.  She began school in a 1- room schoolhouse to Parker Rural High School and then to Secretarial School, working as a secretary to earn money for college.  She entered Park College, transferred to University of Kansas and graduated in 1949 with a BS in Home Economics.  
Darlene met her husband David Lueker at Park College in biology class and they married in 1950.  Darlene and David were married for 68, Dave passed October 2018.  
Darlene has two children; Andrea Lueker (husband Richard Hubbard) in Los Osos, CA.  Mark Lueker and daughter in-law Malu Lueker, in Fort Collins and three grandchildren, Catalina (Hubbard) Foster (husband Dylan Foster), Alexander Lueker and Christopher Tamlin (passed June 2016).   
Darlene supported David’s pursuit of his Microbiology doctorate, living in Denver, Los Angeles, moving to Fort Collins in 1962.  Darlene taught high school in the Los Angeles Area, where she was a formidable teacher despite her petite statue and gentle ways. 
Despite having an advanced college degree, Darlene chose to be home with her children, care for aging parents and aid David during his career at CSU.    
Darlene was a women with strong convictions and was politically active.  She never missed an election, including proudly casting her vote for Biden/Harris in 2020.   Darlene instilled in her daughter, as well as other women in her life, the importance of equality and the ability to be independent.  
Darlene and David enjoyed travel.  Her daughter’s neighbors in CA nicknamed Darlene as Saint Darlene due to her friendly,  demeanor and helpfulness.  Darlene was an eternal optimist, seeing positive and looking for good in all.  
Darlene asked to be remembered as a “caring person” and for all to remember; “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift and that is why its called the present."

I am so sorry to miss your mom's memorial service, but given my
age and the new Covid  variation, I just do not go out into crowds.
Please know that you will be in my thoughts on January 7.  Peggy

Dear Mark and Andrea,  I have so many fond memories of your whole family, beginning in September of 1963 when we all lived in the CSU Faculty apartments, so I was saddened to learn of your mom’s death as I read the paper this morning.  Both of your parents were so proud of you two,and your accomplishments over the years, just as you were fortunate to call them “mom and dad”.  With kind thoughts and good memories, Peggy 

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Darlene Zimmerman Lueker

23 September, 1922 – 21 November, 2021

Resthaven Memory Gardens Funeral & Cremation

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