Darleen F. Le Jeune

Darleen F. Le Jeune, 61 years young, was reunited with her son in heaven Saturday, April 30, with her family at her side.  She was born to William and Geneva Smith on January 27, 1961.  Darleen married her soulmate, Randy P. Le Jeune on July 21, 1978 in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  They were married for 43 years and 9 months.  Together they lived on a hobby farm east of Stoddard where they raised their five children.

Darleen was proud to be a stay-at-home mom and wife, but when her children were grown, she decided to venture outside the home and take a position in the kitchen at Mayo Health Center in La Crosse.  From there she found herself wanting more and took a job at Villa St. Joseph where she enjoyed serving the sisters their meals.  As the years went on, she decided that doing daycare out of her home was something she wanted to do.  She cared for many little ones whom she always talked about to this day.  They were all very special to her.  When those daycare children were grown and their need for her was no longer, she took an associate’s position at Kmart in La Crosse, Wisconsin until her first grandchild was born.  It was then that she decided “Grandma’s Daycare” is where she needed to be again. Throughout the years, she was blessed with five more grandchildren to love and care for and a few other children as well whom she loved as much as her very own.

Amongst many of things, Darleen was a racecar fanatic.  You could always find her in her rocking chair on race day and don’t even dare to think you could interrupt her.  She had her favorites you could hear her cheering on miles away and cuss the ones who got in their way.  One of her favorite pastimes, other than fishing and feeding the fish her worms, was watching her birds and caring for her dogs, Chester, Bandit, Maggie, and Miley and her two grand dogs, Mistletoe and Delilah.  She loved them just as much as her family.  She would always tell us if she could, she would make her home every homeless dog’s home too.  No one person or animal left without feeling her love for them.  Her love of music would always fill our home and her beautiful voice will be missed dearly.

In addition to her husband, Randy, she is survived by her four daughters, April (Marc) Lingelbach, Becky (James) Dingeldein, Amy (Caleb) Le Jeune, and Sebrina (Mike) Le Jeune; six grandchildren, who she loved more than life itself, Brooklynne, Jaxson, and Brennan Lingelbach, Jamie Dingeldein, and Dawson and Zurick Le Jeune-Jarrett; two sisters, Janet (Roland) Washburn, Janice Phillips and her friend John, two brothers Kerry (Deb) Smith, and Robert Smith; four sisters in law Sue Mickschl, Kathy Arenz, Pam Oyer and Patty Droog, and a brother in law, John Le Jeune; two very special people who she considered as her own, Samantha Gundersen and Karsten Sannes; and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

She was preceded in death by her beloved son of eighteen years, Bryan P. Le Jeune, her parents, a sister Paris Pingel, and two brothers, Steven Smith and Roger Verhota.

A private family service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, May 6.  Family and friends may visit from 10:00 am until the time of the service at Lower Coon Valley Lutheran Church, Stoddard, Wisconsin. Memorials to the family are preferred.

The family would like to personally thank the Critical Care Unit at Gundersen Lutheran for their above and beyond care and comfort during her last days here on earth with us.