PIERRE, SD – Darlene Stampe, 91, of Pierre, passed away June 22, 2024 at Edgewood Senior Living Center. Visitation will be held 9:00-10:00am, Thursday, June 27, 2024 at New Life Church with Funeral Services beginning at 10:00am. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery.

Darlene was born to Simon and Carolyn “Carrie” (Pierrot) Ripperger on December 6, 1932 in Colton, SD. She was the fifth child in a family of seven children.

The family moved to Junius, SD when Darlene was one year old. Junius was home for 13 years. Later in life Darlene told fond stories about how her dad and brothers supplemented the dinner table with squirrels and rabbits during those years.

Darlene attended General Beadle High School in Madison where she graduated in 1950. She attended one year of college at General Beadle State College (now Dakota State University) studying secretarial skills. Darlene’s first job was with First Bank & Trust in Madison where she worked for five years.

On November 6, 1953 Darlene married Gene Winton Stampe of Rutland, SD. They lived in Madison for six months before Gene was drafted into the service for a two-year period.

In May of 1956 the couple moved to west Sully County. Since the 1920’s the Stampe family owned a 1700-acre farm and ranch operation that Gene grew up on. Gene grew wheat, oats, and corn and raised cattle, sheep, and hogs while Darlene worked in Onida.

Darlene’s first job was as a secretary at the Onida Bank. She worked for a year before her first child, Scott, came along. Thereafter, each morning Darlene would bundle Scott up, drop him off at neighbor Alice Smith’s house, and proceed to her job in Onida. When Cindy came along two years later in 1959 Darlene chose to end her bank secretarial career and care for her children at home. Tim was born in 1963 and Jamie completed that family in 1966.

Darlene went back to work in Onida once Jamie was in grade school. She worked part-time for the Sully County Library. Darlene was a fixture at the library for 25 years; retiring in 1999.

In January of 2014 Darlene moved from the ranch into Pierre for health reasons. She resided with grandchild Ashley Severyn in Pierre for a year and then moved into the new Edgewood Senior Living Center in March of 2015.

Darlene belonged to the Okoboji Women’s Club, Pierre Senior Citizen’s Center, and the New Life Assembly of God Church in Pierre. Darlene is survived by her husband, Gene, and their three sons; Scott (Mary) of Spearfish, Tim (Melanie) of Pierre, and Jamie (Jody) of Rapid City, nine grandchildren, two step grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren.

Darlene was preceded in death by her parents, Simon and Carrie; sisters Marie Bettmeng, Theresa Anderson, and Dorothy Dietrich; brothers Lionel, Harold, and Gerald Ripperger; and her daughter, Cindy Marie Keitch.

1. Add to favourites
2. Report abuse