I. Darlene Smith, 90, of Austin, Minnesota, died Thursday Feb. 23, 2017, at Sacred Heart Care Center.

Darlene was born March 4, 1926, at home near Little Cedar, Iowa, to Frank W. and Ida (Jenkins) Cooper.  She was the oldest of four children and attended first grade at Little Cedar and second through eighth grades at a country school, Burr Oak No. 6. Darlene graduated from Little Cedar Consolidated School in 1944. After graduation, Darlene worked at an egg plant and then attended Hamilton Business School (now Kaplan University) in Mason City, Iowa. After graduating from business school, she worked in Osage at the Triple A Office and the Osage Creamery. In 1950, she moved to Austin and worked at Axe Johnson Hardware for five and a half years and the Glass Shop for two and a half years. Darlene also worked for First National Bank (now US Bank) for 17 years and later, part-time at American Family Insurance and Wilbur Sayles Lay Music Missions.

Darlene was baptized and a member of the First United Methodist Church and sang in the choir and taught Sunday school in Osage. At a later date, she transferred her membership to First United Methodist Church in Austin. On Sept. 28, 1952, Darlene married Walter A. Smith at the Methodist Church in Osage. They made their home in Austin.

Darlene enjoyed old time music, dancing, country western music, bowling, swimming, gardening and flowers.  She especially enjoyed being with family and friends and always had a big smile for everyone.  She liked to give and receive lots of hugs and enjoyed people. She will be missed by all.

Darlene is survived by her husband, Walter Smith, Austin; sisters, Loreen (George) Seely, Osage, and Barbara Barkhuff, Austin; nephews, Dean, Keith and Lynn Cooper, Elmer Jr. and Kenneth Wilde, Tom, John and Morey Kleve; nieces, Mary Lovik, Marcia Duncomb, Marjorie Bridgeman, Gloria Klingstrom, Marlene Ellingson, Maureen Vosejpka and Carol Neckar; great-nieces and nephews; great-great nieces and nephews; and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Ida Cooper; her brother, Bill Cooper; nephew, Larry Dean Wilde; nieces, Donna Wilde and Connie Miller; grandparents; brothers-in-law, Elmer Wilde, David Barkhuff, Charles Dufresne and Maurice Kleve; and uncles, aunts, and other relatives.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the First United Methodist Church, Austin, with the Rev. Dennis Tamke officiating. Interment will be at Grandview Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary and at the church on Tuesday morning for one hour before the service.

Honorary bearers will be Gayler Jensen, Gary Mauer, Morey Kleve and Jerry Kruckeberg.

Casket bearers will be Dean Cooper, Lynn Cooper, Keith Cooper, Elmer Wilde Jr., Ken Wilde, Brad Bridgema, and Todd Duncomb.

Memorials are preferred to First United Methodist Church, Sacred Heart Care Center where she received loving care, or to her family.