Darlene J. Smolek, 60, of Tipton passed away on August 24, 2017 at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 2, 2017 at Lahey & Dawson Funeral Home in Olin, Iowa. A private family burial will be at the Olin Cemetery.

Darlene Joyce was born on August 9, 1957 in Hammond, Indiana to James and Joyce (Lange) Ernst. She was a homemaker. Darlene enjoyed fishing, camping, hiking and traveling in the semi with James.

Those left to cherish her memories are her five children; Jeremy Smolek of Fisher, Illinois, Thomas Smolek of Muscatine, Bob (Kayla) Smolek of Clarence, Scott Smolek of Lowden, Dustin (Kristian) Smolek of Olin, five grandchildren, two brothers; Donald Ernst and Jack (Maryann) Ernst and her fiancé James Mackey of Tipton.

Darlene was preceded in death by her parents and a brother Jim.

A memorial fund has been setup at Community State Bank Po Box 445 Tipton, Iowa in her honor.