Darleen F. Johnson

Darleen F. Johnson, age 97, of Baraboo, died on Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at Oak Park Place in Baraboo. Darleen, daughter of William and Sadie (Luebke) Karg was born October 29, 1928 in Baraboo. On May 23, 1970 she was united in marriage to Donald H. Johnson; he preceded her in death on March 26, 1992.

Darleen was employed by A & P Grocery Store for 21 years before working for Wickus IGA for three years. She then retired from Isenberg’s Hardware in Baraboo after 13 years of employment. In her free time, she enjoyed baking cakes, crafting, bowling, doing yard work, playing bingo and playing Yahtzee. Darleen was a longtime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Baraboo where she served on the flower committee for over 25 years and also participated in the church choir.

She is survived by her sons, Rex (Mary) Dwars of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Todd (Robin) Dwars of White Plains, MD; daughter-in-law, Jean Scherschel; she is also survived by five grandchildren, Angi Ackard, Jason Dwars, Amity (Eric) Meyer, Ryan (Brooke) Dwars, Shawn Sandoval and 7 great-grandchildren, Aisia and Aidan Ackard, Isabelle and Elliott Meyer, Asher and Everlie Dwars and Egen Sandoval as well as other relatives and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald; son, Allen Dwars; and her siblings, Roger (Elaine) Karg, Dorothy (Reginald) Hellpap, Lasetta (Harry) Buzzell, Evelyn (Willis) Leece, Frederick (Joyce) Karg, Monetta (Harvey) Pohlman.

Funeral services will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 11 a.m. Visitation will be held at Redlin-Ertz Funeral Home on Friday, January 23, 2026 from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. as well as at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday. Burial will follow at Walnut Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church or to the UW Carbone Cancer Center, Pancreas Cancer Greatest Need Fund in memory of Darleen Johnson Family / Allen and Ryan Dwars.

ETERNITY

By Frances Moore

I sit here waiting all alone

And hope to hear the telephone

Or hear a knock upon my door

Or see a friendly face once more.

It seems the years have gone so fast

I guess I am the very last

To wait for death to welcome me

And face my own eternity.

Most of my friends have gone before

And traveled through the open door,

You dare not try to hesitate

For what’s ahead, is just your fate.

They’ve all gone through that same

Old scene

And now my turn has come to mean,

I’ll soon be joining them above

And hope to find eternal love.