Darlene Brese

Darlene Kay (Siefke) Brese was born March 27, 1947, in Puyallup, Wash.  She was one of seven children born to Mary Isabel Cummings and Floyd Leonard Siefke. Darlene was raised in Libby, and finished her formal schooling there.

In 1970 she married Fred Doney. They moved to Washougal, Wash., where Darlene worked as a homemaker and mother of five children. The couple were later divorced.

In 1990 Darlene married the love of her life, Jack Brese. They lived in Alaska, where Darlene worked as a cook on a fish processing ship. She was an excellent cook who could throw together a great meal with little or nothing in the refrigerator. She also enjoyed fishing and camping. If she had a fishing pole in her hand she was one happy camper. Darlene also loved to play games and cards (especially pinochle). Just for the fun of it, she collected wolf memorabilia.

Darlene suffered from chronic pulmonary problems for many years. The Breses recently moved to Montana so Darlene could spend some quality time with her sister, Linda. The couple moved to the Sweetgrass Lodge in Chester, where Darlene died peacefully in her sleep in the early morning of Friday, May 8, 2015. She was 68 years old.

Darlene was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers,  Fred, Leonard “Sam” and Ronald Siefke, her twin sister Marlene May Siefke and her sister in-law Marlis (Fred) Siefke.

She is survived by her husband, Jack Brese of Chester; five children, Darren Doney of Anacortes, Wash., Laurie (Greg) Katke of Portland, Ore., Robert (Marla) Doney, Cynthia (Glen) Hauber and Greg Doney, all of Vancouver, Wash.; 13 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren; two sisters Linda  (Steven) Backen of Lothair, and Mary (Bob) Dickinson of Cassiville, Mo., and numerous nieces and nephews.

Darlene was cremated per her wishes. A celebration of her life will be held July 15 at 1 p.m. at the Backen Farm at Lothair. A barbecue will be held after. Please let everyone you know that knew Darlene and would like to come.