Darlene Marie (Jares) Rief

Darlene Marie (Jares) Rief, 94, of Dannebrog, passed away peacefully, on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, surrounded by her loving family at her home on the family farm in Dannebrog.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Jacobsen-Greenway- Dietz Funeral Home in St. Paul. Interment was in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul. Val Killinger offerd words of comfort.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date.

Darlene was born on May 18, 1932, to Charles and Georgia (Krepel) Jares on a farm southwest of St. Paul. Darlene attended rural school District 79 and graduated in 1950 from St. Paul High School. She went on to Kearney Normal Training College majoring in elementary education. Darlene taught in Howard County Country Schools and then in the Grand Island Public and St. Paul Public school systems.

Darlene met Wallace Rief at a dance and they were married on June 8, 1958, and had three daughters, Sandra, Deana, and Tammy. After marriage, the couple lived on a farm, where Darlene enjoyed working in her massive garden and her yard of flowers. She spent her summers canning and preserving fruits and vegetables from her garden.

Darlene worked side by side with her husband for fifty-eight years before his death. She passionately cared for numerous baby calves, chicks, ducklings, goslings, piglets, and lambs. She also cared for wild animals over the years including a newborn fawn, which she raised to adulthood.

Darlene was a master seamstress and baker. Her family will miss her homemade kolaches, cinnamon rolls and pies. Although she was kept busy with her chores on the farm, she always baked and decorated an angel food cake for her family’s birthdays.

While Darlene discontinued formally teaching shortly after her marriage, she stressed the importance of an education by reading, singing nursery rhymes, and guiding her daughters with homework. Darlene and Wallace planned and saved so all three daughters received education beyond high school. She believed in a strong work ethic and being a life partner with her husband.

Darlene was preceded in death by her husband, Wallace; her parents, Charles and Georgia Jares; in-laws, Carl and Minnie Rief; sister and brother-in-law, Shirley and Rodney Johnson; and brother and sister-in-law, Donald and Elberta Jares.

Those left to cherish her memory include her daughters and sons-inlaw, Sandra and Alan Nelson of LaVista, Deana Pullen of Dannebrog, and Tammy Rief of Dannebrog; sister and brotherin- law, Elaine and August Peters of Wood River; grandchildren, Daniel and Jenna Nelson of Omaha, Kimberly and Spencer Helms of Gretna, and Kyle Pullen of Dannebrog; four great-grandchildren, Charles, Gracie, Hudson, Christian, and one on the way; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.jacobsengreenway. com The Phonograph-Herald | June 10, 2026