It is with broken hearts and indescribable sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Darlene K. (Vande Vrede) Hetrick. Dar’s passing arose quickly after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.
Dar was born the third of five children in Baldwin, Wis. She was preceded in death by her parents Eunice (Bosman) and John Vande Vrede, brother LeRoy Vande Vrede, sister Joy Black, father in-law Ralph Hetrick, mother-in-law Alice Hetrick, and nephew Cory Hetrick. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Gary Hetrick, daughter Karna Ruemmele (Chris), daughter Tonya Cernohous (Scott), son Layne Hetrick (Stacia), son Aaron Hetrick, and four grandchildren; Carley Ruemmele, Kinsey Ruemmele, Autumn Cernohous and Travis Cernohous, sister Jan Malmer and brother Gary Vande Vrede along with many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.
Dar graduated from River Falls High School in 1964 followed by Hastings School of Cosmetology. In June 1965, she married her high school sweetheart Gary. Gary and Dar started their family in 1968 with the birth of their daughter Karna, followed by the birth of their daughter Tonya in 1971, and twin boys Layne and Aaron in 1976. She devotedly stayed at home to raise their four children until 1981, when she worked as a grill cook at UW-River Falls. She loved her job and was great at it. She especially enjoyed interacting with the students and serving food to the Kansas City Chiefs during their summer training camp.
Dar showered everyone around her with love, kindness and acceptance. Her life was fullest when she was surrounded by her husband, children, and grandchildren; they were her whole world! Food was how Dar expressed her love and she always made sure everyone’s favorites were made. She was an excellent baker and was known for her delicious Christmas cookies that she shared with many. Dar was a “people person;” she loved to laugh, catch-up, and spend time with friends and family. She also enjoyed spending time at their cabin in Gordon, Wis. going shopping with her daughters, sister, nieces, and granddaughters, and cheering for the Packers, Brewers, Badgers, and Bucks.
A celebration of Dar’s life will be at the following:
American Legion – 701 N. Main St., River Falls WI
Aug. 2, 2026
1-5 p.m. with memory sharing starting at 3 p.m.
