Darlene Saxton

Darlene Agnes Saxton passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 6, 2011, after a lengthy battle with heart disease under the care of Hospice. With the loving care of her husband and family, she was able to remain in her own home for 14 years after her massive stroke until one month ago, when multiple strokes and heart attacks continued to afflict her tired body. Darlene was born January 21, 1936, to Ben and Margaret Sauer in Rice, Minnesota. She was the youngest of seven children. Darlene was a devout Catholic and received her first communion, confirmation and early education in Browns Valley, Minnesota. She received her diploma at Beardsley High School in 1954. On December 27, 1954, she was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, LeRoy Saxton, in the Browns Valley Catholic Parsonage. They made their home together and raised five children from Minneapolis to Cloquet to Elbow Lake, Minnesota. Working beside her husband with her love and support, they eventually owned their own soft water conditioning business. She had flower gardens wherever their life took them. She sewed clothes for her children, magnificent quilts, and beautifully stitched crafts. Her canvas paintings, handmade crocheted window treatment and giant tablecloths and doilies adorn her home. She loved to cook and bake. The more challenging, the better! Darlene enjoyed her family and was selfless when a car trip back home to Beardsley/Browns Valley or a week at the lake or family vacation needed to be organized. Darlene and Lee traveled to Portugal, Bermuda, and vacationed in many of the states during their marriage of 51 years. No grass grew under their feet when quality family time was to be had. Darlene took pride in helping budget and organize for her family to make ends meet without a trace of even thinking we were "going without." Darlene loved to read novels, completing hundred of "Dell" puzzle books, always stimulating her mind with logic problems and crossword puzzles. She loved politics and history, collected coins and stamps. Her love of collecting Depression glass outfitted her five children each with a different set for Christmas one year. Her love of jigsaw puzzles housed in her basement could outfit a store! She loved music, dancing and skating. She enjoyed her women's golf leagues, her bowling teams, and two different bridge clubs. The activities at the cabins and home on the different lakes throughout her life were a huge part of her being. She took pride in making them "ours" with her fine touches. From snowmobile poker runs up north with the grown-ups to the winter picnics with the kids, card games and summer water sports until "wee" hours, fill Saxton memories. Darlene and Lee seemed to be on a pilgrimage to make sure we knew a happy full life with good values and ethics. A heart attack, bypass surgery, and a massive stroke in 1997 slowed Darlene down a little, but she still watched CNN to keep up on world events, The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, old movies, particularly westerns, musicals, mysteries, and anything about WW II. She still loved Yahtzee, cards, and jigsaw puzzles. She loved visiting her five sisters, casino trips , shopping and going out for lunch. All the while reminding us that she "still remembers everything" and "Let's do it, for tomorrow ya might not make it." Her independence until July of this year certainly shows us an impeccable woman whose living example of love and devotion to God and her family were instrumental in her living a blessed and full life. She is survived by five sisters, Valeria Beebe, Margee Reinardy, Vivian (Phil) O'Neill, Jeannie (Dick) Olsen, Connie Hunder and sister-in-law Kathy Schlattman, three daughters, Debbie (David) Stoks, Shelly Saxton-Kapphahn (Kirby Anderson), and Tammy (Jay) Sheldon; one son, Mike (Gail) Saxton; daughter-in-law Dawn Saxton, ten grandchildren, Andrea (Jason) Huff, Derek (Chelsey) Kopacz, Justin (Courtney) Stoks, Jessica (Travis) Carlson, Adam Kapphahn, Taylor (Katie) Kapphahn, Abbie (Corey) Rasmussen, Jayson Sheldon, Max Sheldon, Sean Saxton and Gavin Saxton; eight great-grandchildren, Kaycee, Skyla, Allison, Lillian, Simon, Riley, Makenna and Jackson. Darlene was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Wayne Sauer, husband Lee and son Chip. Funeral Service: 1 pm Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, St. Olaf's Catholic Church, Elbow Lake Clergy: Fr. Ron Schmelzer Cemetery: St. Loretto Catholic Cemetery, Elbow Lake Visitation: 5-7 Thursday, 7 pm prayer service, St. Olaf's Catholic Church, Elbow Lake; one hour before the service on Friday at the church.

Funeral Home: Erickson-Smith Funeral Home - Elbow Lake 116 1st Street NE Elbow Lake, MN US 56531

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Previous Events

Visitation
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Service
Friday, November 11, 2011