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Darleen Beals

Darleen Beals passed away peacefully at home, with her family by her side, on May 8, at the age of 73. She was born Darleen Faye Wegner, on May 2, 1938, in West Point, Neb., to Herbert and Mabel Wegner.

Darleen grew up in the farming community of Wisner, Neb. She graduated from the Nebraska Methodist Hospital of Nursing in Omaha and Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln with a bachelor of science degree. After teaching three years in the West Nebraska General Hospital School of Nursing in Scottsbluff, Neb., she joined the United States Peace Corps as a nurse and served from 1962 to 1964 in Sierra Leone. During this time she met her future husband, Alan Beals. After finishing their service in the Peace Corps, Alan and Darleen were married on Dec. 30, 1964. They moved to the San Franciso Bay Area. Darleen earned a master of science degree from the University of California, San Francisco, and taught in the Kaiser Permanente School of Nursing in Oakland.

In 1971, she and Alan moved to Sonoma and made their permanent home in Sonoma Valley. Here they raised two daughters, Jenni and Jayme. Darleen was an active volunteer for the SVUSD for many years, which led into her career at Altimira Middle School in the library for 25 years, retiring in 2010. Darleen liked to host small gatherings for family and friends, and particularly enjoyed spending time with her granddaughter, Kayla. Darleen and Alan shared a passion for traveling, especially cruises during their 46 years of marriage.

Darleen is survived by her husband, Alan Beals, of Sonoma; daughters, Jenni Beals and Jayme Beals; granddaughter, Kayla Ann Beals; sister, Delores Jean Gunn (Al Gunn)' sister-in-law, Nancy Fedder (Ken Fedder).

The Beals family is hosting a "celebration of life" in Darleen's honor this Sunday, May 15, at Vintage House in Sonoma from 1 to 4 p.m. Friends of the family are invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to "The Heifer Project" or Hospice By The Bay.