Darlene Doris (Dobberstein) Gerike was born on January 14, 1949, in Poygan Township, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, the daughter of Arthur Martin Dobberstein and Doris Norma (Martin) Dobberstein.

She entered the family of God on February 27, 1949 through the washing of Holy Baptism at the font of Trinity Lutheran Church in Borth, Wisconsin, and publicly reaffirmed her baptismal vow in the Rite of Confirmation at the altar of Grace Lutheran Church, Omro, Wisconsin on May 26, 1963.

On June 10, 1973, Darlene was united in marriage to Kenneth John Gerike at the altar of Trinity Lutheran Church in Bloomington, Illinois. Our Lord blessed their marital union with the gifts of four children; Kristin Lynn Gerike of Columbia, Missouri; Matthew John Gerike of Manhattan, Kansas; Rachel Darlene (Gerike) Breeden of Jefferson City, Missouri; and Andrew Stephen Gerike of Columbia Missouri.

Darlene graduated from Concordia University Chicago (River Forest, Illinois) in 1972. She taught in Lutheran elementary schools in LaPorte, Indiana; Montebello, California; New Minden, Illinois, St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri. She also taught in early childhood education in Columbia, Missouri.

Darlene was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbia, Missouri where she served as an organist, handbell director and Sunday School teacher. She was also actively involved in the Lutheran Women's Missionary League and in the Columbia Handbell Ensemble.

On Monday, March 26, 2007, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, our Lord called Darlene to her Heavenly Home at the age of fifty eight years, two months and twelve days following a six and one half year battle with leukemia.

Darlene is loved and will be missed by her husband, The Reverend Kenneth Gerike; her children Kristin Gerike, Matthew Gerike, Rachel (Rob) Breeden and Andrew Gerike; her grandchildren, Corey Burton and Christopher Breeden; her sisters, Sandra Kopitzke of Sun City Center, Florida and Janice (Ruben) Borgardt of Pickett, Wisconsin; her brothers, David (Elaine) Dobberstein of Omro, Wisconsin, Kenneth (Wanda) Dobberstein, Larry (Karen) Dobberstein and Neal (Roxanne) Dobberstein, all of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, her eleven nieces and eleven nephews and many other relatives and friends.

The Funeral Service will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 720 Jackson Ave, Omro, on Saturday, March 31, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. with The Reverend Paul Mundinger and The Reverend Doctor Timothy Maschke officiating. Visitation will be at the church on Saturday only from 9:00 a.m to 11:00 a.m. Darlene will be laid to rest in the Omro Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Trinity Lutheran Church, Columbia, Missouri.