Darlene Anna Kinney, age 96, of Osceola, WI, passed away into the arms of Jesus on May 14, 2026 at Osceola Medical Center due to illness and complications from a fall.

Darlene was born at home in north Milwaukee on June 11, 1929 to Reuben and Anna (Krebs) Kinney. She called herself a “depression” baby, living through tough times. Her father operated the street cars/electric trolly/diesel buses for $.50/hour to support his family of four.

Darlene was responsible for overseeing and playing with her younger brother Rueben Jr. In the early days, she had to keep track of his nickel and help him get on the city bus to go to school. Years later, she was his designated baseball pitcher for both he and his friends’ teams. She pitched in a dress as slacks were not allowed and they shared a lot of time together.

At age 11, Darlene was ill with measles and double pneumonia. “My Mum said my face was blue with pink poke-a-dots” and the doctor at the end of the iron bed was not sure if she would live. Moody Bible Radio station was playing organ music and Darlene asked her mom to leave the radio on. She agreed and that’s when Darlene heard the gospel message preached and gave her life to Christ. The LORD has been her Shepherd ever since.

Her school class mates called her “Sister Kinney” as her father had a strict dress code- skirts between the knee and ankle (not the pleated skirts above the knee) and also for her outspoken defense of Biblical Creation in her Biology class. The teacher docked her grade for her courageous stand. She belonged to the Speech Club and graduated from Custer High School in 1948 having taken “all the college entry” classes. She worked many jobs in her teenage years and relied on the bus system to get there: She worked at the cream stand selling gallons of milk, Rosenberg’s Store boxing coats, and at the county hospital laundry (no A/C) where she and a friend folded 7 sheets/minute in August temps reaching 130 degrees inside. It was great pay: $5/ hour. She was naturally independent and learned from a young age how to work hard, stay busy and persevere.

She attended Northwestern College in Minneapolis, MN when Dr. Billy Graham was President and earned her Bible degree in 1952. Darlene took Hermeneutics with the pastoral students. She nannied and did various jobs to pay her expenses. Interestingly, she learned “on the job” training at Froedtert hospital how to assist in surgery and work in the recovery room. When they refused to pay her an increase to $1/hour, she decide she had enough of that. Darlene’s heart was to be a missionary to China, but with the Boxer Rebellion, she had to set that aside. She attended New Tribes Mission in California for training, but her health made it impossible to complete.

Darlene worked 34 years at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance in the Actuarial Dept after a short stent at the phone company. She was known for her photographic memory of old policies which was a great asset, since the computer technology was just beginning.

Darlene was assigned to work with the University Actuarial students which she enjoyed. They saw her tough side and she expected them to understand waivers, different benefits and cash values. But they still invited her to their tail gate parties at the Brewer’s games. Darlene happily shared that she had lived in four different states and had traveled to three different countries. 

She loved working with the youth and volunteered @ Camp Awana, in Wisconsin and Camp IdRa-Ha-Je in Colorado, sang in church choirs, and was Vice President of the Christian Business and Professional Women’s Club of Milwaukee delivering the missionary letter updates. She loved to walk outside and that became a necessity when someone stole her car.

Darlene loved Jesus and loved many with her dedicated prayer ministry. She has a stack of prayer cards that helped her be faithful each day. God answered her prayer: “Make Me A Blessing.”

She will be greatly missed. She is preceded in death by her parents, Reuben Leo and Anna F. (Krebs)Kinney; her brother, Reuben Kinney Jr and sister-in-law, Betty Jane Kinney, niece, Judith Charlton; and other relatives.

Funeral service fo Darlene will take place 11:00 AM Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at Grandstrand Funeral Home in Osceola, WI. Visitation one hour prior. Burial at a later date at Valhalla Memorial Park in Milwaukee, WI.

Last Update: May 18, 2026 9:23 am CDT