Darlene R Liebsch

1940 - 2023

INDEPENDENCE – Darlene R. Higgins Liebsch, 83, of Rowley, Iowa, passed away on Monday, October 16, 2023, at the Cedar Valley Hospice House in Waterloo, Iowa.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 20, at St. John's Catholic Church in Independence with Rev. David Beckman presiding. Burial will be held at Walker Cemetery in Walker. Visitation will be held from 4 until 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 19, at the Reiff Family Center – Funeral Home & Crematory in Independence. A Rosary will be said at 3:45 p.m., and a Parish Vigil Service will be held at 7:30 p,.m. on Thursday.

Darlene was born the daughter of John and Armella (Kass) Sadler, on September 21, 1940, at St. Francis Hospital in Waterloo. Darlene grew up in rural Jesup and attended St Athanasius Catholic School. After school, she enjoyed working on her family farm and raised and processed chickens to bring them to market. She married Richard G. Higgins on October 8, 1962, at St Athanasius Catholic Church in Jesup. Together they made their home on a farm in Brandon. There they raised seven children together and farmed for many years. In 1985, Darlene and Richard opened Paradise Donuts in Independence. They ran their bakery for just over fifteen years and loved seeing their loyal customers. They closed Paradise Donuts in 2000. Richard passed away in 2007.
On January 7, 2012, Darlene married Clarence L. Liebsch at the St. John's Catholic Church in Independence. They made their home together in Independence. Clarence passed away on July 23, 2012.
Darlene is survived by her children; Lori (Jim) Baxley, Winthrop, Linda (Scott) Justason, Rowley, Debbie Higgins, Independence, Diane Sands, Delhi, Daryl (Alice) Higgins, Brandon, Gary (Lois Thursteon-Higgins) Higgins, Peosta, and Kenneth (Kim) Higgins, Walker; twenty-four grandchildren; ten step-grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren, two sisters: Sister Kathleen Sadler, Clinton and Rosemary Kleinheksel, of Waterloo; a brother, LeRoy (Marylee) Sadler, Waterloo; and many nieces and nephews.
Darlene is preceded in death by her parents, John and Armella Sadler; her first husband, Richard Higgins in 2007; and her second husband Clarence L. Liebsch in 2012; mother and father-in-law Emma and Andrew Higgins; a son-in-law Daniel Burns; a grandson Christopher Bruns; brothers-in-law, Lyle Kleinheksel and Robert Higgins; and sister-in-law, Mary Ann Bissell.
To leave an online condolence please go to www.reifffamilycenter.com under obituaries.