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Darlene Walter Williams
Darlene, a farm homemaker and mother of four (all graduates of ISU), married Dallas Williams on April 17, 1949. They lived on his home farm, rural Union, Marshall County, Iowa until moving to her family farm, where they now live in Providence Township, Hardin County, Iowa, and farm in Hardin and Marshall County. It is a livestock and grain farm where all members of the family helped in the farming operation while living at home. Their son Marvin and family, farm with them at the present time.
She has lived in Providence township most of her life. Darlene grew up in the Chester Community between Union and New Providence, Iowa, with her parents Paul and Mary Walter. However, the first year of her life was on a family farm at rural Beaman in Marshall County, Iowa. She attended Chester and Hopedale rural schools, Norfolk , Nebraska city school one year, and graduated from Union High School in 1945. Darlene was very active in 4-H during her youth and received a State award to the National 4-H Club Congress for her 4-H records and achievements especially Clothing, Gardening, and Expense records. While attending Iowa State College she became a member of Delta Zeta Sorority, participated in Campus 4-H, Iowa State Concert Band , and the previously all-male Marching Band. Because of WWII there was a shortage of men on campus and she had the honor to be one of the first women allowed to march in the band in the fall of 1945. Later she attended Iowa State Teachers College and was initiated into an honorary Home Economics Sorority.
Being a farm homemaker, helpmate, and mother has been her career. Many hours were spent in volunteer work in the church, state, and community. Some of her activities include Providence Township Republican Committeewoman, member of the Hardin County Republican Central Committee for seventeen years, a township election official almost every year, Farm Bureau offices, committees, and panels, 4-H leader, officer in many community clubs and organizations, along with her varied church, and Sunday School activities. She was a member of her church Ministry and Counsel many years.
The family members are Cynthia (ISU '73) married Howard Lindaman (ISU '71), Marvin (ISU, 175) married Rosemary Arrowsmith ( NWMSU '72), Mark (ISU '80) married Deborah Bowling (Kilgore College), and Mary Carole (ISU 186) married Scott Cook (ISU 186). There are five grandchildren and one has already attended Iowa State University.