Darlene Beverly Reiter

Darlene Beverly Reiter Darlene was born on June 1, 1939 in Tacoma, Washington to Ida and James Crowell. Darlene was the eighth of ten children. The importance of family was learned at a young age as she watched her older siblings step in to help their mother after her father was killed in a logging accident. Darlene was just 11 years old. Her brother, Bud, returned from World War II and bought the family a home. Brother, Bob, dropped out of school to take over his dad's logging job to provide for the family. Raised in the small town of Brinnon, Washington, Darlene was Valedictorian of her high school graduating class. The day after she graduated high school, having just turned 18 years old, she boarded a train for Minnesota to start her life with Jim. On June 7, 1957, they were married at the St. Paul Cathedral. Jim often liked to tell the story that they had to be married in the basement because mom wasn't Catholic. They settled in the Como Park neighborhood of Saint Paul where they raised their five children. In addition to their own children, Jim and Darlene were known as Grandma and Grandpa to many other children throughout the community. In hearing of her death, one of those children, Michael Xiong, said he will "always miss her and she will always be my grandma too." Jim and Darlene welcomed all into their home in Como Park and enjoyed entertaining in their backyard. Annual Christmas parties attended by Santa and summer barbeques are some of our best memories. Darlene had a giving heart and enjoyed doing things for others. She loved to garden and her dahlia and flower beds were stunning year after year. Darlene took great pride in her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She never missed an opportunity to watch their sporting events, dance recitals or just spend time with them. They were her greatest joy in life and many of their best childhood memories include her. She will be greatly missed but we find comfort in knowing she is reunited with our dad and Jean. Sometimes, the best way to understand how someone has impacted the lives of others, is to hear directly from those who were closest to them. Below are a few favorite memories in the words of Darlene's grandchildren:Michelle " Grandma was the most influential person in my life. I am so grateful for her. She was strong in bringing us all up. She always knew what she wanted and if it wasn't to her liking she wasn't afraid to tell you. I admire her for so many things. She always expected the best. She took pride in her garden and her home. Some of my most cherished memories were in her perfect backyard. We planted dahlias, ate cherry tomatoes, watched the birds and appreciated nature together. She would spend so much time with me digging in the dirt. She would take me on trips with my Grandpa. Whether it was to the beaches of Florida or through the mountains - they showed me things I love to this day. We picked up seashells, pet stingrays and fished. We went white water rafting, horse back riding, fed animals, took ferries, and visited family in Washington. They spent time with me in the most beautiful places. I get my love for the outdoors from her, my love for seafood, for plants and animals. She did so much for me growing up. I had structure and routine with her and it helped me throughout my life. Thank you and I love you Gramma." Danielle and Lexi - "I have so many great memories of my grandma. Simple things like just being at her house or spending time in her backyard that was always filled with the most beautiful flowers. My daughter, Lexi, was her first great-grandchild. Grandma loved to babysit Lexi and always made her feel special. Lexi's favorite memories are playing card games and sitting in the garden watching for squirrels. I remember grandma chasing the squirrels and rabbits out of her yard so they wouldn't eat the flowers. I think the greatest gift that my grandma gave to all of her grandchildren is that we never doubted how much she loved us. She was always there for us and she always told us how proud she was of us and how much she loved us." Arianna - "My favorite memories of my grandma was her making popcorn every night for me and she would always give a dollar if I slept in my own bed!" Bobby - "I will always remember our walks to Chelsea Heights playground. I could play as long as I wanted and we would always walk across the street for ice cream cones before walking home. As grandma got older, we would have to stop and rest a few times while we walked so she could catch her breath. On my 9th birthday, I remember being in the car and out of the car window seeing my grandma, with a big smile on her face, riding around the street in front of my house on a Razor go kart. The best birthday present ever. She always gave the best birthday gifts and she always made me feel like I was the most important person in the world. I know she'll be watching over me."

Tributes

Darlene Beverly Reiter

June 1, 1939 - April 14, 2022

Tributes

Darlene Beverly Reiter

June 1, 1939 - April 14, 2022

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