Z. Darlene Johnston

Funeral Services for Z. Darlene Johnston will be held on Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Chaplain Kathy Doiel officiating.  Interment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege.

Darlene Johnston, 89 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away Wednesday, September 23, 2015, at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege.  Darlene was born March 15, 1926 in Oakdale, Nebraska, the eldest of four children born to Raymond and Emma Mae (Newton) Burkhead.  She received her education from rural schools near Oakdale and Elgin, Nebraska until her family relocated to Missouri. She attended her first years of high school from Thomasville, Missouri and then graduated from Villisca High School in Villisca, Iowa with the class of 1944.

On November 21, 1948, she was united in marriage to Harold Norman Johnston at Kearney, Nebraska.  The couple were blessed with two children:  Pamela and Gregory. They made their home in Holdrege where Darlene worked at ESU #11 in the Media Department for 12 years until her retirement in 1989. After retirement, Darlene and Harold enjoyed traveling. Harold preceded her in death in April of 2006.

She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Atlanta, where she an active member in the Women's Group. She was also a member of the Lions Club and the American Legion Auxiliary.  Darlene enjoyed collecting salt and pepper shakers and had an extensive collection of over 600 sets! She loved spending time with her family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Besides her parents and husband, Harold; Darlene was preceded in death by one brother, John Burkhead and wife, Beverly.

She leaves to celebrate her life; her children: Pamela Beckman and her husband, Larry of Axtell, Nebraska and Gregory Johnston of Ft. Collins, Colorado; two grandchildren: Alisha Dye and her husband, Chris of Wilcox, Nebraska and Aaron Beckman and his wife, Darla of Anchorage, Alaska; five great-grandchildren: Zachary, Sierra, Sabrina, Brooklyn and Jakob; one brother, Eugene Burkhead and his wife, Shirley of Overton, Nebraska; one sister, Phyllis Neeman and her husband, Merlin of Gibbon; and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Monday, September 28, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Darlene's honor and kindly suggested to the Nebraska Prairie Museum or the Holdrege Senior Center.

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.