Darlene Elsie Steffer

Darlene Elsie Steffer, age 89, of Arlington, passed away on April 3, 2026, at Grand Meadows Assisted Living in Glencoe. A memorial service for Darlene will take place on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at Arlington United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. Visitation will start at 9 a.m. at the church. Interment will follow immediately after the service at Arlington Public Cemetery.

Darlene Elsie Panning was born a twin on July 10, 1936 to Fred and Elsie (Stoeckman) Panning. She was born into a large family of four brothers and six sisters. Her twin sister, Marlene, died shortly after birth. Darlene’s parents raised her as a Christian. She was baptized and in 1950 confirmed as a member of the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Green Isle, MN. She later joined the Arlington United Methodist Church where she served on the worship team for over 20 years.

Darlene worked at the Arlington Creamery after high school until her marriage to Sheldon Steffer on Oct 19, 1957. Their life together was focused on farming the land and raising their 5 children. She continued on farming after Sheldon’s death in 2001.

Darlene tended a large vegetable garden, filling their basement shelves with canned fruits and vegetables. She loved embroidery work, gifting her talents to others in the forms of dish towels. She also created hand stitched homemade quilts to be given to family members for marriages and babies.

Darlene was a member of the VFW Auxiliary. She enjoyed watching all types of sports, cheering on her grandchildren and her favorite pro sport teams the Minnesota Timberwolves and Vikings.

When Darlene’s health failed her, she became a resident of Grand Meadows Assisted Living for a few months before her passing on Friday April 3rd.

Darlene is survived by her children, Wanda Wavra (Mike), Sue Glawe, Lorie Rose (Rick), Lisa Courteau (Bruce), and Brian Steffer (Lisa Holberg); 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; siblings, Marlys Roepke, Sharon Birkholz, and Stanley Panning (Mary Ann); sister-law, Carol Panning; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Sheldon; her parents; son-in-law John Glawe; grandson, Brady Steffer; and siblings, Bernice Dieke, Harriet Shulz, Verdilla Lord, Shelvie Olson, Norman Panning, Hillard Panning, and LeRoy Panning.