Darlene Fay Engelking Moderie

Darlene Fay Engelking Moderie was born in Great Falls on Dec. 3, 1941, to Josephine and William Engelking, and went to be with our Lord on Feb. 10, 2012.

She graduated from Great Falls High in 1959 and moved to Missoula to attend St. Patrick’s Nursing School. She met Robert Wayne Moderie there and after a year, she quit school and moved back to Great Falls to be married. Robert and Darlene were married on Aug. 6, 1960. She worked as a telephone operator in Great Falls for a year, and then she and Robert moved to Ronan where she worked at Anthony’s Department Store and Robert took a job at Plum Creek Lumber Company.

She then had the first of her four children and proceeded to work in several jobs throughout her life. In 1977, her youngest daughter Sonya contracted Reye’s Syndrome when she had chicken pox and Darlene and Robert were instrumental in getting a warning placed on all children’s aspirin and Tylenol products regarding the use of these products when the person has a virus such as the flu or chicken pox. She was a telephone operator, 411 directory assistance telephone operator, office manager for Western Seed and Supply, co-?creator of the Lake County 911 system, and loved working as a dispatcher for the city of Ronan, Polson and all of Lake County.

In 1991, she moved to Helena to be with her developmentally-disabled daughter Sonya, working as a dispatcher for the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s department for a short time. She then went to work for the Montana Newspaper Association and finally retired at age 60 due to failing health.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her parents-in-law and her granddaughter Kassandra. She is survived by her husband, Robert of Helena, sons Scott (Belinda) of Ronan, Shane (Shelley) of Hamilton, her daughters Sheryl (Jim) and Sonya of Helena, her grandsons, Kyle (Sapphire), Chris (Kacie), Kody (Sheena), Marcus (Shallie) and Darrel, two brothers, Darrel and Doug (Madeline), two foster daughters Debbie and Crystal, her great grandson, numerous nephews and cousins.

Cremation has taken place and a service will be held in late spring or early summer to celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorials be made in Darlene’s name at the Helena Community Credit Union for the Special Olympics of Montana. To offer a condolence or share a memory of Darlene, please visit: www.retzfuneralhome.com