Darlene Faye Isaacson

Darlene Faye (Norton) Isaacson, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on June 7, 2025, at the age of 85. Born on June 3, 1940, from Frances Faye and Victor Norton, Darlene was raised on a dairy and hog farm in Strahan, Iowa, the oldest of five siblings: Susan Turner, Karen Hansen, Linda Frost, and Steve Norton. Her upbringing on the farm instilled in her a lifelong work ethic, deep family values, and a passion for community.

Darlene was a proud graduate of Red Oak High School, where she played basketball and was an active member of 4-H club in Mills County. She especially enjoyed showing dairy cattle and was crowned the Ak-Sar-Ben Dairy Queen in 1955—an honor she cherished.

She went on to attend Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where she met the love of her life, Max Henry Robert Isaacson. They married on August 11, 1961, and began their life together in Sioux City, Iowa, where Darlene taught home economics. Their love and partnership spanned 60 beautiful years. They shared a passion for travel, including unforgettable trips to Paris and river cruises with dear friends.

In 1963, Darlene and Max settled in the Kansas City area, eventually making their home in Prairie Village, and eventually, Overland Park. Together, they raised four children: Audrey Swaney (Frank Swaney), Rhonda Mehl (Paul Redden), Wendy Ragan (Jeff Ragan), Andy Isaacson (Stephanie Isaacson). Darlene’s life revolved around her family, and she lovingly cared for them while running a successful seamstress business from home.

Her many interests included sewing, quilting, gardening, music, cooking, baking, and caring for her two bichon frisé dogs. She especially loved hosting holidays, preparing meals from scratch—including her treasured Swedish recipes—and gathering everyone around a fully decorated tree, adorned with ornaments from her travels. She had a special talent for making every celebration feel warm and meaningful.

Darlene was also a published author, having co-written two books that captured her love for local history and storytelling: Kansas City Then & Now and Postcards of Kansas City. Through these works, she preserved the charm and transformation of the city she called home, blending her appreciation for community, photography, and heritage.

Darlene was a devoted member of Church of the Resurrection and was proud to be one of its first 12 members. She sang in the choir with her husband Max adoring from the pews, supported missions, and built close friendships through weekly lunches and church groups.

A loyal fan of the Royals, Chiefs, and KU basketball, Darlene also found joy in cheering for her teams. She was a passionate quilter who loved gifting her creations and spending time with her quilting group. She cherished her community and friendships.

Darlene leaves behind her nine grandchildren: Ryan, Rachel (Kyle Sennikoff) and Brooke McCullough (Andrew Reeves), Collin, Lindsey (Ryan Johnson) and Betsy Mehl, Will and Kate Ragan, and Madison Isaacson. Her love, creativity, and faith lives on through them.

Her life will be celebrated at a service on June 21st at 1:00 PM at Wesley Chapel located at The Church of the Resurrection (13720 Roe Ave, Leawood, KS 66224)

Memorial contributions may be made to Church of the Resurrection, (please reference: Missions or Darlene’s beloved Piecemakers Quilting Group). This brings recognition of the community, joy, and service they brought to her life.

She will be dearly missed, forever cherished, and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.