Darlene Emaline Bortle

Darlene Emaline Bortle was born May 8, 1929, to Junie and Emma Wiesner. She was the first sibling in her immediate family to be born in the Eldora, Iowa, hospital, and she was the youngest of four brothers. Darlene attended school in Eldora and graduated from Eldora High School in 1947 as valedictorian of her class. Darlene attended Iowa State College, and graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in General Home Economics. 

She met the love of her life on a blind date while attending college and on August 4, 1951, in Eldora, Iowa, she married Robert Bortle, a civil engineering graduate of Iowa State. Bob’s career with the Iowa Highway Commission (later the Iowa Department of Transportation) guided them to Sioux City, Fairfield, Ames, Atlantic and finally Clear Lake. During this time, Darlene and Bob had four children, Christine, Mark, Kirk and Kent. 

Since living in Clear Lake, Darlene was active in various bridge clubs, Qwesters, PEO, Progress Club, and an active member of the Methodist Church. Darlene enjoyed watching birds, crocheting, knitting, camping, sewing, traveling the world, reading, gardening and especially cheering for her Cyclones. 

In 2019, she moved to Apple Valley Assisted Living and lately, she was on hospice care at Oakwood Care Center in Clear Lake. Darlene will be buried at East Lawn Memorial Garden in Eldora, Iowa, by her husband, Robert, on land which was her parents original farmland.

Survived by children, Christine Betz, Columbus, Neb., Mark (Melissa) Bortle Sturgeon Bay, Wis., Kirk (Madonna) Bortle, Hyrum, Utah, and Kent Bortle, Clear Lake; grandchildren, Dustin (Zonna) Betz, Daniel (Jennifer) Betz, Darren (Cortney) Betz, Alex (Patrick) Cole, Samantha (Nick) Freimuth, Austin (Amy) Bortle, and Dr. Michaela (Brady) Wright; great-grandchildren, Aliyah, Mason, & Sawyer Betz, Gwendolyn & Owen Betz, Thomas, Robert, Timothy, Franklin, Samuel Betz, Harper and Charlie Cole, Ireland, Avery, Everett Freimuth, Asher and Anderson Bortle.

Preceded in death by: husband, Robert Bortle, parents: Junie and Emma Wiesner, brothers : Lawrence, Carlton, Edward, & Dean Wiesner, son-in-Law - Randy Betz.

Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapels is in charge of arrangements.