Darlene Rae Bruhn, 84, of Palermo, ND passed away on Friday, June 19, 2026 at Mountrail County Medical Center in Stanley, ND.

Darlene Rae (Lindberg) Bruhn was born on November 13, 1941 in Gervis, Oregon to Ray and Dollie Lindberg. She attended Swarz, Spencer #2 in Rural Kenmare, Kenmare Public School through 2nd grade, Granada 110 at Blaisdell ND grades 3 through 8, then graduated from Stanley High School in May of 1960.

She married Lawrence Bruhn on June 2nd, 1960 at the Nazareth Lutheran Church in Kenmare North Dakota. Together they had 5 Children, 17 Grandchildren, 21 Great Grandchildren and 4 Great-Great Grandchildren.

Darlene and Lawrence rented/lived at the Leonard Anderson farm until May 1968 until they purchased the John and Lena Rock Homestead where they eventually built a home and raised their family. In 1985 the family home was struck by lightning and started on fire. The home was destroyed but Darlene and Lawrence remodeled the basement of the home and lived there until 1997. In 1997 they moved to Palermo where they lived until October of 2019 when they moved to Stanley, then in September of 2022 moved to Elison Assisted Living in Minot. After Lawrence passed, Darlene enjoyed living at The View in Minot until her death.

Darlene was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Palermo where she held many positions over the years. She was on Church Council, WELCA President and Mission Action Growth and Community, AAL and Thrivent Congregation Coordinator, Taught Sunday School and Bible School during the time their children attended; and served as Prairie Lutheran Parish Intern Committee representing Faith Lutheran in Palermo.

She was the Palermo Local Farmers Union youth leader for 25 years and the Mountrail County Farmers Union youth director for 5 ½ years.

Other organizations and positions she was part of were the Frisky Fifteen Homemakers in Blaisdell, The Get Together Club in Palermo and the Golden Age Club Secretary in Stanley.

During her high school years, she worked for Lloyd and Caroline Jones, her aunt and uncle Altha and Herman Landers. She also worked in Stanley at Lee’s Hardware, Farmers Union Oil Station, and the Tastee Freeze.

In the later 70’s she wrote bulletins for the church once per week at the Parsonage office in Palermo. She was the Township Assessor of McGahan Township for 12 years and Election Inspector for Mountrail County for 23 years.

Darlene was very well known throughout the area for decorating cakes. She baked and decorated large wedding cakes, and many cakes for anniversaries, birthdays, and special occasions out of her home for 35 years.

Darlene also did the bookkeeping for Red’s Drywall, LDMHP, and the farm.

She was a collector of many things, but her carousel collection was her favorite. She has requested NO flowers at her service, only to display her carousels.

Darlene is survived by her daughter, LaRinda Bruhn (Kyle Schmidt), Minot ND; sons, Jerimey (Nikki) Bruhn, Greg (Muriel) Bruhn, Blaisdell ND, Jeff Bruhn, Rock Lake ND;
Grandchildren, Sayge (Madison) Weigel, Sienna Weigel, Mitchel Bruhn, Kayla (Matt) Mans, Jessica (Wesley) Cervantes, Colton Bruhn (Xavier Sotelo), Nicholas Bruhn, Lakyn (Colton) Rudolph, Jarvis Bruhn (Kailee Koenen), Jhonda Bruhn (Dave Hoffmeyer), Joshua (Kelli) Bruhn, Layton Bruhn (Coty Groves), Ryder Bruhn, Matthew Warnke, Joseph Bruhn (Tara McLaughlin), Jacob (Shayla) Bruhn, Zachary Bruhn (Lauren Christopher).

Great Grandchildren, Dayne Bruhn-Glaholt, Alexis Bruhn, Jace Azure, Kadence Bruhn, Amari Hall, Dominic Patterson, Shane Bruhn, Addlyn Bruhn, Waylon Bruhn, Kianna Bruhn, Sienna McLaughlin, Trenton Bruhn, Trenidi Bruhn, Tatelynn Bruhn, Bailey Rudolph, Myles Mans, Francisco Cisneros Jr, Gianna Cervantes, Sophia Bruhn, Ruthann McLaughlin, Mitchel Warnke, Hunter (Takota) Barkley.

Great-Great Grandchildren, Aubrie Warnke, Madilyn Barkley, Kohen Barkley, Adrienne Barkley.

Sisters, Geanie (Dale) Wassmann, Absarokee MT, Janice (Billy) Greenlee, Tagus ND and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Darlene was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Bruhn; son, Bradley Bruhn; daughter-in-law, Debbie Lee; parents, Ray and Dollie Lindberg.

Memorial Contribution