DARLENE NORGAARD VINTON, 76

Funeral services were Monday, January 22 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Harlan, Iowa, for Darlene Norgaard Vinton, 76, of Blair and formerly of Harlan, Iowa, who died January 18, 1990 in Memorial Community Hospital in Blair. Rev. Otto A. Zwansiger officiated. Burial was in the Harlan, Iowa Cemetery.

Darlene Davis Norgaard Vinton, the daughter of Earl A. and Mazie C. Pentony Davis, was born October 12, 1913 at Glenwood, Iowa.

She attended grade school in Glenwood and in 1927 moved with her parents to Harlan, where she graduated fro Harlan High School in 1931. She then went on to attend Jennie Edmundson School of Nursing.

On September 11, 1934, Darlene married Elmer J. Norgaard at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Harlan, Iowa. Two children were born to this union.

After they were married, Mr. and Mrs. Norgaard made their home in Harlan, where Mr. Norgaard was a pharmacist and owner of Norgaard Drug for 46 years. On April 5, 1981, Mr. Norgaard died.

Darlene continued to live in Harlan until January 27, 1984, when she married Gordon Vinton at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Harlan. Mr. and Mrs. Vinton then made their home at Blanche Lake, Minnesota during the summer and Lake Havasu City, Arizona during the winter. In 1988, they moved to Blair, Nebraska and this has been their home since that time.

Darlene was a very active member of the Harlan Civic and Business Community. Her leadership was exemplified through her fund raising activities for Immanuel Lutheran Church, Myrtue Memorial Hospital, Nishna Valley Council of the Girl Scouts and the Harlan United Fund. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and was active as a Sunday School Teacher and Superintendent. Other activities included being a member of the Harlan Recreation Committee, Harlan Literary Club, and was a 50-year member of Lebanon Chapter No. 8 Order of Eastern Star.

She has also held several offices. They include County President of Federated Women, State President of the Iowa Pharmacy Association Auxiliary, and was District Chairman and a member of the State Board of the Iowa Women's Golf Association. Darlene was also an active golfer having won the Harlan Golf and Country Club's Women's Championship 12 times.

Darlene was a Merit Mother, and in 1972 she was named Shelby County Mother of the Year. Following this she was appointed State Chairman of the "Young Mothers Counseling Service."

In addition to her parents and her husband, Elmer, Darlene was preceded in death by one sister, Norene Paulk; and two brothers, Leslie and Norville Davis.

She is survived by her husband, Gordon of Blair; one daughter, Norene (Mrs. Earl) McCaustland of Monticello, Iowa; and one son, John Norgaard and his wife Sally of Carroll, Iowa; two step-daughters, Barbara (Mrs. Russ) Randall of Robinson, Illinois; and Susan (Mrs. Don) Stodola of Lawrenceville, Illinois; one step-son, Richard Vinton and his wife Merri, also of Blair; five grandchildren, Lori (Mrs. Dean) Onken and Jay Norgaard and his wife Sue; Kristin (Mrs. Chris) Wilbricht and Douglas and Matthew McCaustland; six step-grandchildren, Chris and Becky Vinton; Kent and Elizabeth Randall; and Amy and Brandy Stodola and three great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Dick Vinton, Dean Onken, Jay Norgaard, Douglas McCastland, Christopher Wilbricht, and Matthew McCaustland were casket bearers.

Pauley Funeral Home in Harlan was in charge of arrangements.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #20925104