Darlene L. Funk Niles

Darlene L. Niles, 91, of Sioux City, formerly Darlene Funk of Moville, passed into eternity on April 24, 2017, at Bickford Cottage in Sioux City.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at Immaculate Conception Church in Moville, with the Very Rev. Bradley C. Pelzel officiating. Burial will be in Arlington Township Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, , with the family present at 6 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Immaculate Conception Church. Arrangements are under the direction of McCulloch Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home in Moville. Condolences may be offered online at www.christysmith.com .
A longtime resident of Moville, Darlene was born on March 1, 1926, to George and Bernice (Bornholtz) Junck, in rural Hinton, Iowa. Darlene grew up on a farm outside of Sioux City. The family moved to Moville during the crop failures in the dust bowl years. She attended Moville Public School, where she organized and played girls softball during high school. Darlene graduated in 1942 from Moville High School and began her career in banking at the Lawton Savings and Loan.
Darlene married Winfred Funk in the fall of 1946 and they began their family following World War II. Darlene continued to work in banking while raising five children. She rose to the position of vice president of the First Trust & Savings Bank in Moville, retiring in 1992 after 50 years in banking. Winfred passed away in 1985 after 39 years of marriage. Darlene represented Siouxland on the televised Big Bowl, playing the top woman bowler from Sioux Falls, S.D.
Darlene was a member of the Chamber of Commerce in Moville. She was a Brownie Scout leader, Cub Scout Den mother for Boy Scouts of America and involved in two committees for the Moville Centennial. In the fall of 1991, Darlene married Paul Niles of Sioux City. They lived in Moville for 20 years where, together, they enjoyed golfing (35 Iowa courses and in three other states), playing cards (500), dancing, puzzles, watching Creighton Blue Jays basketball, played piano and guitar, delivering meals-on-wheels, and attending numerous sporting events featuring talented grandchildren. Both lovingly accepted the challenges of blending two families of now 10 adult children, 13 grandchildren, 17 stepgrandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, 33 great-stepgrandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. As their health and Darlene's memory began to fail, the couple moved to Bickford Cottage Assisted Living in Sioux City, where they lived for the past three years.
Darlene is survived by her husband, Paul; her five children, Steve (Twila) Funk, Greg (Connie) Funk, Jan (Del) Seay, Ellen (Dr. Terry) Mitchell, and Timm (Jean) Funk; Paul's five children, Nadine (Wally) Schlienz, Gary (DeDe) Niles, Phil (Lou Reif) Niles, Mary (Jim) Shook, and Rick (Renee) Niles; and son-in-law, Skip Welte.
She is preceded in death by her first husband, Winfred; brother, Harry Junck; sister-in-law, Shirley; and Paul's daughter, Judy Welte.
The family would like to thank the nurses with Hospice of Siouxland, Dr. Joe Kurth, and the staff at Bickford Cottage Assisted Living for all the love and care given to Darlene.