Darlene Lovejoy (Knutson)

Darlene Lovejoy, 79, of Wakonda, SD passed away Monday, September 7 at the Bethesda Inn apartments in Beresford, SD.
Darlene Mae Knutson was born October 29, 1940 in Centerville, SD to Elwyn “Bud” and Elvera (Johnson) Knutson. She graduated from Centerville High School and received her Teaching Certificate from Springfield College. She taught for 2 years before marrying Ardell Lovejoy on August 20, 1961 at Trondhjem Lutheran Church of rural Volin, SD.
After teaching for two years, Darlene spent her life as a homemaker on the family farm. She spent her summers growing a large garden to feed her family and preserve the extras for the winter. She loved her flower gardens and there was always a ‘slip’ taking root that she got from someone’s plant to start her own new plant. She was self-taught in cake decorating and created many beautiful cakes over the years. Darlene sewed everything. No patterns necessary at times to slow her creativity. Her last projects were face masks to protect during the pandemic.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Virginia “Ginny” Christensen and her husband Ardell.
She is survived by her two sons; Michael (Connie) of Wakonda and Joseph (Kim) of Newcastle, WY and a daughter Sherrie (Aaron) Petersen of Beresford, eleven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Siblings Kermit (Arnetta) Knutson of Irene, SD, Arlene Zoeller of Sioux Falls, SD, Bonnie (Frank) Seitzinger of Dakota Dunes, SD and Marice “Micy” (Cliff) Highstreet of Hurley, SD.
Funeral service will be 10:00 AM Friday, September 11 at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Beresford with burial to follow in the Pleasant Valley Cemetery rural Vermillion, SD. Visitation will be from 5-7 PM Thursday at the Hansen Funeral Home in Vermillion, SD.