Darlene Louise Gilje

Exetor, Mo.

Darlene Louise Gilje, the daughter of H. Raymond and Rachel (Braaten) Thompson was born on April 15, 1945, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Rugby, North Dakota. She died at the age of 78 years on Monday, February 12, 2024, at home, surrounded by her family, in Exeter, Missouri.

On May 29, 1964, Darlene Thompson was married to Lowell Gilje at the Ox Creek Lutheran Church. They had three girls, Carrie, Carla, and Cathy.

Darlene is survived by her daughters, Carrie Stamper and her husband, Chip, of Linn Creek, MO; Carla Adams, of Cassville, MO; and Cathy Bauer and her husband, Tony, of Lakeville, MN. Also surviving are five grandchildren, Caleb Stamper, Cameron Stamper, Taylor Fah- renholz, Jordan Adams, and Drew Bauer; three great-grandchildren, Lowell Stamper, Audry Adams, and Hudson Stamper; one sister, Irma Karen (Robert) Weaver of Spearfish, SD and her children and grandchildren; and two sisters-in-law, Sharon Strand and husband, Doyle, of Bottineau and their children; and Betty Gilje and her children and grandchildren; as well as Darlene’s wonderful cousins and many friends.

Darlene was preceded in death by her husband, Lowell Gilje; her parents, H. Raymond and Rachel (Braaten) Thompson; grandpar- ents, Hans and Mable Braaten and Herbert and Carrie Thompson; aunts and uncles, Esther and Melvin Thompson and Gilmore and Marie Ulvestad; brother, Howard Thompson; cousin, Ruth Ann Fletschock; father-in- law, Lawrence Gilje; mother-in-law, Delores Johnson; step-father-in- law, Harry Johnson; brother-in- law, Larry Gilje; a grandson, Conner Stamper; and some dear friends and colleagues.

Very early in their marriage, Lowell and Darlene began a ministry in missions. In 1966, they entered Oak Hills Bible School in Minnesota, moving the growing family from Bemidji to Pennsylvania to Wisconsin to Missouri and eventually, to Papua New Guinea. In Papua, Lowell and Darlene were dorm parents at Numonohi. Next, they lived in Ambunti where Lowell served as government liaison, supply man and builder of homes for missionaries. Later, Lowell built a small aircraft airstrip, which is still in service, on the May River, deep in the unroaded Sepik Region of Papua New Guinea. Returning to the United States, Lowell and Darlene served on staff at New Tribes Language School in Camdenton, Missouri.

From 1985 to 1995, they lived in North Dakota, where Lowell worked in custom carpentry. Since then, they have lived in Missouri, where Lowell died in 2013.

Moving frequently, as the ministry demanded, meant that Darlene made many houses into homes for her family. Her newest home, in heaven, has the smell of cookies baking and the sight of Norwegian lace curtains fluttering in the open windows. Over St. Peter’s gate will be a Norwegian sign, âVelkommenã, complete with rosemaling, that Darlene has insisted will add to the charm of heaven and make newcomers know they have come home.

Her indomitable joy and her artistic expression and her inextinguishable love for her family and humanity will be celebrated by friends and family this October in Rugby, North Dakota. She will be found wherever you see beauty or hear laughter or any time or place that you worship a good and glorious God. Her name is carved in stone, beside her husband’s, at the Westland Cemetery in Rolette, North Dakota.

Published by The Minot Daily News, March 9, 2024.