Darlene R Samuelson

A Visitation for Darlene R. Samuelson will be held on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska, with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

A private family interment will be held on Thursday, February 12, 2026, prior to the service at Highland Cemetery at Bertrand.

A Memorial Service for Darlene R. Samuelson will be held on Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bertrand, Nebraska with Pastor John Strackbein officiating.  The service will be live streamed via the Immanuel-Adullam facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ImmanuelAdullam/

Darlene Rae (Renken) Samuelson, 83 years of age, passed away Sunday, February 8, 2026 at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. Darlene was born September 24, 1942, in Lexington, Nebraska.  She was the second of twins, the first two of six children born to Freddie Otto and Doris Adare (Holmquist) Renken.

She received her elementary education at Gosper County District #23 and graduating from Bertrand High School in 1960. She was united in marriage to Eldred Maaske of Smithfield, Nebraska, on November 4, 1962.  To this marriage, two daughters were born, Darla Rae and Kimberle Rae.  Eldred preceded her in death in 1985.

On June 27, 1992, she married Allen Samuelson of Loomis, Nebraska, and added five more children to her family.

After graduating high school, she worked at the Bank of Bertrand.  In May 1963, she became employed at the Bertrand Coop Oil Company and continued for 31 years, 12 of which she was manager.  She was the first female manager of the Coop Oil Manager in the Farmland Coop System of Kansas City, Kansas. She also received her accounting degree through the Farmland system and worked part time as an auditor for Cooperative Service out of Lincoln, Nebraska.

After leaving the Coop Oil Company, show worked for Fahrenbruch Fertilizer and Aurora Coop as a bookkeeper until her retirement.

She enjoyed her retirement years volunteering.  She served for many years on the Bertrand Housing Authority and was on the original Board for the Low-Income Housing projects.  She chaired the Bertrand Blood drives and volunteered at the Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege, Nebraska, in the library department, completing data entry and genealogy research.

She loved to travel with her twin sister, Marlene, visiting many interesting places together. She also traveled with her husband, Allen to Arizona for Spring Training baseball games and visiting with friends and family.

Darlene's hobbies included quilting, serving the church, having coffee with her friends weekly around town, and watching her grandchildren's sporting events.

She is survived by her husband, Allen Samuelson of Bertrand; daughters: Darla (John) Bowen of Phoenix, Arizona; and Kimberle (Bill) Schumann of Scottsdale, Arizona; one grandson: Connor (Karly) Bowen of Phoenix; step-children: Gene (Carol) Samuelson of Bertrand; Jane (Leonard) Matejka of  Loomis, Nebraska; Orville (Sandi) Samuelson of Loomis; Lee (Patty) Samuelson of Holdrege; and Jill (Russ) Harvey of Coin, Iowa; her siblings: Marlene Dahlgren of Bertrand; and Randy Renken of Fort Morgan, Colorado; many step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Eldred Maaske; two brothers: Raymond Renken; and Roger Renken; and a sister, Judy Long.

Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.