Darlene Irene Baye, 84, of Kearney, passed away Monday, July 15, 2024 at Good Samaritan Hospital, Kearney, NE. Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. CDT Friday, July 19, 2024 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kearney. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Graveside service and interment will follow at Masonic Cemetery in Philip, SD on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. MDT.

Darlene Irene Baye was born on October 15, 1939 to Robert and Tillila (Eisenbraun) Denke in New Underwood, SD. She lived in Creighton until age 10 then moved to Wall, SD. She graduated in 1957 from Wall High School and attended Concordia Teachers College in Seward, NE for one year. She married Kenneth Baye on June 28, 1959. She spent most of her life in Philip, SD. She worked as a waitress for several years and taught at the Hilland Country School for 2 years (1962-1964). She worked at Philip Hospital from December 1970 until retirement in June of 2007. She was a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Philip from1959 until she moved to Kearney in July, 2015 and was treasurer for the LWML in Philip for many years. She was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kearney. She was a member of the Bad River Dance Club in the 1980’s and loved to dance. She also enjoyed bowling for several years.

She is survived by two sons, Steve Baye and wife Karen of Kearney, NE and Scott Baye and wife Donna of Pierre, SD; two brothers Glenn Denke of Norris, SD and Paul Denke and wife Lurene of Pierre, SD; two sisters, Joyce Hart of Philip, SD and Eileen Torkelson and husband Orrin of Wall, SD; two grandchildren, Joseph Baye of Fort Worth, TX and Matthew Baye and wife Hannah of Lincoln, NE; great grandson, August; two sisters-in-law, Muriel Denke of San Diego, CA and Betty LaBeau and husband Sonny of Philip SD; and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Baye in 1978; her parents; sister, Luella; brother, William Denke; brothers-in-law Dave Hart and Tom Baye; sister-in-law Barb Baye and granddaughter Crystal Baye.

Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services in Nebraska are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services.