Darlene Ann Ommen

Darlene Ann (Chester) Ommen, 89, of Aurora, Colorado, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at Advanced Health Care of Aurora following a short stay at University Hospital. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held June 14 at 10:30 a.m. at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Aurora.
Born at Jefferson, South Dakota, on April 2, 1936, Darlene was the third child of eight for Lawrence and Hazel (Schroeder) Chester. Once when recalling her birth order between two feisty brothers, she maintained she could hold her own, to include taking them down and sitting on them, if needed!
Fascinated with nurses from the time of a hospital stay when six years old, Darlene had a life-long desire to be a nurse, as a child playing nurse with siblings as patients and working as a nurse's aide as a teenager.
Darlene attended one-room schools at Jefferson and Parker, South Dakota, and then entered Parker Elementary in fourth grade, graduating from Parker High School in 1954 as salutatorian.
After high school Darlene completed the three-year nursing program at Dakota Wesleyan University at Mitchell, South Dakota. While there, she met Robert Ommen of Chamberlain, South Dakota. After they began dating, Robert was tragically injured in a construction accident, paralyzing his legs. Later in life, Darlene commented on seeing God's hand guiding her to develop the skills she would need to help Bob. They were happily married on May 3, 1957. Soon after Bob finished college, they moved to Denver, Colorado. There, they enjoyed 52 wonderful years of marriage and genuine friendship.
Darlene worked for Rose Memorial Hospital for 40 years, mainly on the prenatal and mother-baby wards. She served as head nurse for many years. After retirement she enjoyed attending the Rose Lunch Bunch to keep in touch with many dear friends and co-workers.
Darlene wrote countless letters to connect with relatives and friends, sewed baby quilts, and crafted wonderful needlework projects. She was a talented artist and created beautiful oil paintings to give to family members and others. She was a friend and mentor to many of her nieces and nephews and was well known for the hand-drawn coloring books she gave to many of them when they were young.
Darlene was preceded in death by her parents, husband Robert Ommen, brothers Bob and Lynn Chester, sister-in-law Loretta Chester, brother-in-law Russell Wirt, parents-in-law Peter and Gladys Ommen, brothers-in-law Jerry (Dorothy) and Keith (Wilma) Ommen, Robert's twin brother Ross, and Robert's sister Shirley (Donald) Frerichs.
Darlene is survived by five siblings: Bonnie Wirt, Parker, SD; Larry (Joni) Chester, Safford, AZ; Dale (Erika) Chester, Aurora; Dennis (Kay) Chester, Parker, SD; and Debbie (Paul) Petzrick, Fairfax, VA; sister-in-law Carol Chester, Aurora; sister-in-law Mary Ommen, Lead, SD; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Darlene will always be remembered for her selflessness, deep faith in God, unique sense of humor, and welcoming smile (and for being an avid Broncos fan). We couldn't have asked for a better sister, sister-in-law, aunt, and friend. We will miss her dearly, but we'll cherish precious memories of her always.