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Darlene Joyce Van Den Berg was born on October 27, 1938 to Mr. and Mrs. Sam and
Caroline Sybesma of Geddes, S.D. She died suddenly at the age of 69, on March 3,
2008 at Providence Hospital, and is now in the presence of her Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ.
Darlene was the youngest in a family of twelve brothers and sisters and spent
her early years growing up on the family farm near Platt, S.D. Her high school
years were spent away from home, in Edgerton, Minn. She obtained degrees in
elementary education from Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa and Calvin College
in Grand Rapids, Mich., and taught elementary students in schools located in
Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Utah, and Oregon.
While attending Calvin College, she met the love of her life, David Van Den
Berg. Following a time of writing many letters, back and forth, while David was
enlisted in the U.S. Navy, they were married on September 2, 1964 in Platte,
S.D. and lived in Southern California until the end of his Naval enlistment.
While David was studying for degrees in forestry at Utah State University, in
Logan, Utah, Darlene worked for the Agricultural Experiment Station for two
years and taught
elementary school for two years.
Darlene and David moved to Medford in 1970. During her years in Medford, Darlene
took up the pleasures of being a homemaker, raised a son and daughter, and
taught piano and pine needle basketry. She loved gardening, preserving fruits
and vegetables, reading, stitchery, and traveling. She was a charter member of
Trinity Presbyterian Church and played the piano for worship services there for
many years. Singing in the Rogue Valley Chorale was a joy for her year after
year, this being a challenging continuation of growing up in a musical family
and of singing in choirs throughout her school and college years.
Darlene is survived by her husband, David; son, Michael of San Marcos, Calif.;
daughter, Kristina Kuipers of Platte, S.D.; and three grandchildren, Alexander
Van Den Berg, Joseph Kuipers, and Luanna Kuipers. Darlene is also survived by
two brothers, Sam Sybesma and Clarence Sybesma; five sisters, Caroline Vanden
Bos, Anna Mae Lubben, Jean Huisjen, Gert Baker, and Milly Weeber; along with a
great number of nephews and nieces. Her parents, two brothers and two sisters
preceded her in death.
A service will be held at Perl Siskiyou Funeral Home (772-5488), 2100 Siskiyou
Blvd., Medford on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. Memorial contributions
can be made on Darlene's behalf to either the Rogue Valley Chorale or to Trinity
Presbyterian Church.
Published in the Mail Tribune on 3/6/2008.
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