Darlene Fowler

Darlene June Fowler, 89, died on October 10, 2026, atAdept Nursing Home in Central City, Nebraska, with all her children at her side. A Celebration of Life will be Friday, October 16, 2026 at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Hordville with Reverend Ford Shenk. Burial of ashes will be in the Hordville Cemetery immediately following the service.

Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date. Condolences can be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral. com. Born June 20, 1937, in Chapman, Nebraska, to Lumier and Erma Kucera, Darlene grew up inArcher, graduated high school there, and later studied Nutrition Sciences in Lincoln. She put that education to excellent use as a cook at High Plains Community Schools and for more than a decade at Covenant Cedars Camp.

On November 20, 1955, she married Merlyn Fowler in Archer and they raised their family in Hordville. They enjoyed frequent trips to Estes Park and Branson. Together they ran the Merrick County Fair food stand for over thirty years, and for years they were also loyal members of the daily gathering of the Hordville morning coffee drinkers.

Darlene’s true passion, however, was quilting. No family celebration was complete without a new quilt from her sewing machine, and no scrap of fabric in the house was ever truly safe – it ultimately would end up in her next quilt creation. Her greatest joy, though, remained her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In her later years she spent happy hours watching the scrolling photos on her digital picture frame, smiling at the next generation.

Darlene loved celebrating family Christmas Eves, girls-only (plus Merlyn of course) Christmas shopping trips, Christmas towel give-a-ways, Christmas Stockings for everyone, Christmas White Elephant gift exchanges, family birthday months and Fourth of Julys, and weddings where mint-making was sacred.

She will be deeply missed—especially by anyone who has ever felt the warmth of one of her lovesewn quilts.

Those left to cherish her memory are Rick and Lori Fowler of Hordville, Jo Lindgren of Hooper, Gregg and Andrea Fowler of Hordville, Scott and Barb Fowler of Clarks, ten grandchildren – Sara, Elizabeth, Chris, John, Katie, Joseph G, Ashley, Joseph T, Adam, and Hayden. 21 great grandchildren – Violet, Nora, Lucy, Mason, Parker, Hudson, Lily, Emmy, Jensen, Mila, Elliot, Dakota, Fynn, Rowan, Shepard, Vail, Jim, Zoey, Frances, Greta, and Jack.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, sister Linda, and brothers Larry and Donnie.