Darlene Jane Buller

Darlene Stahl Buller was born on June 8, 1936 to Jacob and Susie (Hofer) Stahl in Huron, SD. Her mother passed away when she was only two, leaving behind nine children. After her older siblings went to work and the younger siblings went to school, no one was left to care for Darlene. She went to live with her uncle and aunt, Jake and Sarah Stahl, who lived on a farm near Doland, SD. Her siblings visited frequently, and she spent a few weeks every summer staying with them in Huron.

This “second family” was nurturing and beloved by her for her entire life. Her siblings in that family were Mabel (Abe) Schmidt, Vesta (Earl) Schmidt, and Sylvia (Delbert) Riter.

The Stahl family moved to Mountain Lake, MN, when Darlene was in sixth grade. Upon confession of her faith in Jesus, she was baptized at Bethel Mennonite Church, where she remained a lifelong member. One of her favorite Scriptures was 1 John 3:1a, ”See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!” A few months after graduating from Mountain Lake High School in 1954, Darlene married the love of her life Wilmar "Wimpy" Buller on October 2 at Bethel Mennonite Church. They were blessed with 70 years of marriage and two children, Debra and Timothy.

Darlene worked for Mountain Lake Elementary School as a paraprofessional for 31 years, where she loved helping children learn. She endeared herself to many of the children with whom she worked, who remained her friends as the years passed.

She was devoted to God, his Word, her family, and her many friends. She was a supportive and cheering fixture at all her grandchildren's activities-from baseball, basketball, football, cross country, soccer, track, gymnastics, to plays, speech, and musical concerts.

Darlene was invested at Bethel Mennonite Church, serving for many years as a Sunday School and midweek Bible class teacher. She sang in the choir and was active in the ladies Worship and Sew Mission Society, as well as the Refreshment and Flower committees.

When not at church or school, Darlene could often be found at the library, where she fueled her lifelong passion for reading. In retirement, she volunteered at Mountain Lake Elementary School, served coffee at the Good Samaritan Home, delivered Meals on Wheels, and worked at the Heritage Village.

Darlene lived life to the fullest and was always delighted when with her family and friends. She was a people person and relished visiting old friends and meeting new ones, as well as traveling and entertaining. She was a legendary cook who blessed her family and friends with countless delicious meals. She was a passionate sports fan who always cheered local sporting events as well as the Twins, Vikings, and Gophers.

Darlene moved to the Mountain Lake Good Samaritan Home in August 2024 and experienced declining health until her death on April 13, 2025. Even in her last months of life, despite her dementia, her fun-loving spirit was still shining. She lived 88 “spunky” years. Blessed be her memory.

She leaves behind her beloved husband Wilmar; children - Debra (Curt) Wall and Timothy (Dr. Kim Janzen) Buller; grandchildren - Marshall (Dr. Kristi) Wall, Grant (Emily) Wall, Zachary Buller, Rachel Janzen; great grandchildren - Hazel, Grayson, and Hunter Wall, and second family sister Sylvia Riter.  Darlene was preceded in death by her parents Jake and Susie Stahl, brothers and sisters-in-law Joe and Marj Stahl, Jake and Erla Jean Stahl, Paul and Betty Stahl, John Stahl, and Elmer and Joy Stahl; sisters Katie and Anne Stahl, Mary and Don Rettke, and several nephews and nieces. From her “second family”, Jake and Sarah Stahl, Mabel and Abe Schmidt, Vesta and Earl Schmidt, Delbert Riter, and several nephews and nieces.