Obituary/Darrel Lee Warne, 81

Darrel Lee Warne, 81 of Badger, MN died Sunday, May 25, 2025 in Thief River Falls, MN.

Visitation will be at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau on Thursday, May 29 from 5 to 7pm with a time for sharing beginning at 6:30 pm.  The funeral service will be at 11am on Friday, May 30, at Faith Lutheran Church of rural Badger. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service.

Darrel was born June 27, 1943 to  Allen “Jack” Warne and Penelope (Rogers) Warne in Thief River Falls, MN (legend has it he was born in the back seat of the car near Mud Lake on the way to the hospital).  He grew up on a dairy and small grains farm north of Grygla and graduated from Goodridge High School in 1961.

Darrel’s visit to a dance at the Northstar Pavilion in Benwood would prove to be life changing when Sophie Brotherston’s uncle, Lenny Beito, told Darrel ”She is a pretty nice girl.  You should go dance with her.”  The rest is history and Darrel and Sophie were married on November 30, 1963; they were proud to be the first couple to be married at Faith Lutheran Church.

They moved to Badger in the spring of 1965 when Sophie started working at the Roseau Area Hospital. Darrel had a couple of different jobs before working 14 years at Beito Plumbing and Heating.  He established Darrel’s Plumbing and Heating in 1980 and faithfully served his customers over the next 40 years.

Darrel was very active at Faith Lutheran Church, serving as a Luther League leader with Sophie,  and also serving many terms on the church council. He was on the Badger School Board for fifteen years. Darrel was also very involved with the Badger Town and Country Club, serving as President for many years. He was a great father and role model to his sons and showed them the importance of volunteering to help make the community better. The boys are proud of the civic work their dad performed, however, starting the Badger Little League baseball team in 1974 was their favorite.

 A farmer at heart, he enjoyed helping with field work at Harry and Eva Gregerson’s farm, raising his own calves and being on the tractor at the hunting land. He loved spending deer season with his sons and grandchildren. He enjoyed playing whist, dancing, and visiting friends and relatives with Sophie. He adored her and treated her like a queen. He loved spending time with his eight grandchildren, watching their various sporting and other activities and hosting them for a week so they could enjoy the Roseau County Fair.

Darrel is survived by Sophie, his wife of 61 years, along with their three sons:  Dion (Laura) of Willmar; Stacey (Heidi) of Badger; Kent (Lori) of Newfolden. Darrel has eight grandchildren: Joshua (Becca), Samuel, Natalie, Keisha, Noah, Gabriel, Ava and Ty Warne.  Also surviving are his sister Lorraine Stenvik of Goodridge, brother Lowell (Barb) of Erskine, sister Debbie (Skip) Cox of Menahga, and brother-in-law Robert (Kim) Brotherston of Security, CO.  Darrel is also survived by “daughter” Diane Hontvet and former sister-in-law, Jean Warne in addition to several nieces and nephews and many cousins.

Darrel is preceded in death by his parents Jack and Pen Warne, and Sophie’s parents, George and Lillie Brotherston.  He is also preceded by his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Haze and Barb Beito, brother-in-law Norman Stenvik and nephew Keith Stenvik.