DARLENE WIGGINS October 07, 1940 – December 21, 2018 Share this obituary Send Flowers View/Sign Guest Book Darlene Wiggins, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and sister, died on Friday, Dec. 21, 2018, surrounded by loved ones. She was 78.
It’s difficult to put Darlene’s impact into words, but maybe we can start here: a 1958 newspaper clipping from The Daily Chronicle in which Darlene was awarded a junior homemaker degree for outstanding work in home economics studies and Future Homemakers of America. Darlene was a homemaker in many senses: a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and sister; a second mother to many children; a caring and active community member; and a mortgage industry leader responsible for helping thousands of people in the DeKalb area achieve the dream of owning a home. A woman of compassion and quiet strength, it was hard not to feel at home in her presence.
Darlene, nee Margaret Darlene Dean, was born on October 7, 1940, in Mercer County, Kentucky. She was the first child of Mirtie Estelle and James Creath Dean, and the sister to Jacqueline and Clementine. In 1955, she moved with her family to DeKalb, where she met her future husband, Jerry.
Upon seeing her, Jerry remarked, “That’s the one I’m going to marry”. And he did. They were married on Feb.
8, 1958. Darlene graduated from DeKalb High School in 1958, and went on to study at Kishwaukee College and the Savings and Loan Institute of America. During her 30-year career, she was one of the top mortgage lenders in Northern Illinois and received numerous awards for her work.
At retirement, Darlene served as Vice President of mortgage loans at Castle Bank. She also was active in the DeKalb Area Association of Realtors and the DeKalb County Builders Association. An avid fan and supporter of sports, Darlene closely followed the DeKalb Barbs and NIU Huskies.
No sport was unloved by Darlene, and she especially enjoyed college football and professional tennis. Additionally, she was a passionate dog owner and accomplished obedience trainer. Her golden retrievers received many awards from the American Kennel Club and were shown in both the U.S. and Canada.
She regularly visited local elementary schools to teach students about dog training. Darlene fiercely loved her family and forever touched many lives. Rest easy, Darlene.
We will see each other again and start over. Darlene is preceded in death by her father, James Dean; mother, Mirtie Dean (nee Adkinson); son, Robert Andrew; daughter, Jerrilynne Wiggins; and dogs Cassie, Nugget, Gunnar and Emie. She is survived by her husband, Jerry; daughters, Cheryl DuBose (Jeff) and Robin Novak (Marty); grandchildren, Andrea Spillone (Anthony), Collin Bredeson, Amelia Pisapia, Ashlee Kroeger (Brendan), Abigayle Larkin, Alexis Millea (Tim), Taylor Adams (Kyle), Patrick Price, Adam Price, Melody VanderLeest (Randy); great-grandchildren, Riley, Matthew, Ava, Jacob, Allaura, Lucy, Maxwell, Lia, Jayme and Fiona; sisters, Jacqueline Rains and Clementine Russell; sister-in-law, Shirley Lutz; brother-in-law, Gary Wiggins (Linda); several nieces and nephews; dear friends; and her dog, Hunter.
Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 28, 2018, at Anderson Funeral Home in DeKalb. The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 29, 2018, at Anderson Funeral Home. Burial will immediately follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Darlene Wiggins Memorial Fund, addressed to the Wiggins Family in care of Anderson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 605, 2011 South Fourth Street, DeKalb, IL 60115. Special thanks to all medical professions who provided her care and comfort over the years. For information, visit www.
AndersonFuneralHomeLtd.com or call 815-756-1022.
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