Darlene Elizabeth Frahm translated on January 5th, 2015 while visiting her daughter and family in AZ. Born on Monday, December 25, 1923, in Scottsbluff County, Nebraska, she was the daughter of P.B. (Jim) and Sarah Jane Hacker (Sadie) Goff. She was named by her 4 year old brother, who declared, “hello darlin” when presented with his Christmas baby sister. Darlene grew up in Minatare, Nebraska. She played trombone, was the drum major, cheerleader, and graduated from Minatare High School. Her parents moved to Portland, OR to support the war effort after her graduation, and Darlene graduated from Multnomah Junior College. She graduated from University of Colorado, Boulder with a B.A. and obtained a teaching certificate from Chadron State College. She later earned her M.A. in Education at Chadron. While in Chadron, she met Lloyd Harold Frahm. They married in Minatare on July 6, 1947, and moved to Riverton to teach. They were married for 59 years at the time of Lloyd’s death. Darlene took time off to raise their children, Gretchen (Greg) Lamberth, David (Jill), and William (Barbara). She returned to teaching, spending 20 years at Jackson Elementary School in 2nd grade. Her mottos were posted in her classroom, “love one another”, and “treat others as you want to be treated”. Even during her last days, she commented that it was important that we love one another. She loved children and teaching 2nd grade children to read was her passion. Over the years, she received thank you notes from former students, and those letters warmed her heart. She made a difference in many people’s lives.
Darlene was a very intelligent, inquisitive, curious, friendly, encouraging and persistent person. She was always interested in people and very patriotic. She wrote letters to many WWII service members (many she never met), so that they received mail. She continued to be an avid letter writer, keeping in touch with family and friends. She made sure we knew she was thinking of us, sending encouraging words, and thoughts on the meaning of life.
Darlene was involved with the community of Riverton in her younger years, as a member of the Progressive Women’s Club, The American Red Cross Disaster Preparedness, lifetime member of the Eastern Star, served as Job’s Daughters Bethel Guardian, was a member of the Daughter’s of the American Revolution as a result of her extensive research in Goff family genealogy, a co-leader in 4-H and was an active member of St. James Episcopal church.
Darlene loved her 5 grandchildren: Jamaica (Daniel) Hansen, Jennifer (Jimmy) Lindell, Julie Frahm all of St. George, UT and Sarah (Jennifer & Taylor) and Geoffrey (Lindsay) Lamberth of Tucson, AZ.; and her 8 great grandchildren: Michael, Haleigh, Mya, and Jaida Hansen, Carter, Taylor and Madison Lindell, and Scott Lamberth.
Darlene is survived by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, nephew Carl (Becky) Goff, nieces Cheryl (Ralph) Morrow, Linda Goff, Merri Susan (David) Brown, and grand nieces Valerie (Mark) Lescroart and Lisa Brown. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband Lloyd H. Frahm, brother James Halsey Goff and wife Jean, in- laws Lois and Harry L. Burns.
Carolyn B. Tyler, a columnist for the Riverton Ranger, wrote a column on February 14, 1992 after a US Army Field Band concert at Central Wyoming College. The band had played a medley of marches and the conductor invited each person to stand as their favorite branch of the military was saluted. Carolyn stated, “I wish I had stood beside Darlene Frahm. While others stood for their ‘favorite’ branch of the military, Darlene Frahm stood throughout the entire military medley. Maybe we choose up sides too much—be it by military branch, race, or creed. I wish I’d stood beside Darlene. Her humanity touched my soul.” Her humanity touched us all. A family gathering will occur in AZ on January 31st and a memorial will take place in Riverton once Wyoming defrosts. Abbaloobala!