Darlene Neuman

Darlene Neuman was born on June 22, 1938 at Adrian, MN to Ude and Elsie (Wood) Habben. Darlene spent her childhood on farms in the Worthington area. She received her early education in country schools before attending Worthington High School, graduating with honors in 1956. She was a member of the National Honor Society, WHS choir and starred in The Senior Class Play. Darlene attended the Worthington Junior College for one year when the traveling bug hit her. She started her aviation career with Braniff Airways in 1957. After five years, she accepted a position with United Airlines. On January 17, 1972, Darlene married her best friend, Ronnie Neuman of Minneapolis. She started her travel agency career with MLT Vacations in 1972. After the birth of her beloved son, Tom, she moved her family to Red Rock Lake at Hoffman, MN. After opening Alex Travel, serving as manager for six years, Darlene accepted a position with Bursch Travel in 1985. She remained with Bursch Travel for sixteen years until her retirement in 2001. Her favorite part of her career was the last three years in which she was working out of her home in Rochester, MN. Servicing her client, Dairyland Computer of Glenwood, MN. She had so much fun teasing the wonderful personalities employed by Dairyland. After her retirement, she moved to Alexandria, MN where she lived her later years. Darlene enjoyed traveling the world and meeting all of the "top name" entertainers introduced to her by her late husband, Ronnie, during their twenty years in Minneapolis. Everyone in the Metro area knew Ronnie as a very talented jazz musician who also was the organist for the Minnesota Twin for twenty-one years. She was most proud of her family being charter members of her childhood church, The American Lutheran Church of Worthington. Darlene was extremely active in her church, especially during the years of attending Luther League events. She claimed she had the most wonderful pastor that ever lived, the Reverend Leo G. Moench. On Wednesday, January 1, 2014 Darlene died at the age of seventy-five years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ronnie, and her parents, Ude and Elsie Habben. Darlene?s son, Thomas of St. Cloud, her brother, Larry Habben of Hoffman, and six stepchildren survive her. A funeral service will be held at 2 PM Saturday, January 11, 2014 at First Lutheran Church. Reverend Marilee Bergerson will officiate. Interment followed in the Evergreen Cemetery in Alexandria. Casket bearers include Jeff Bolgrean, Steve Baker, Jason Erickson, Jeff Foix, Klaus Strobel, Dieter Strobel, John Goldsmith and Reece Johnson. Honorary casket bearers include Jim O?Brien, Kim Johnson, Ben Johnson and Julie Kusterman. Arrangements were with the Anderson Funeral Home.