Darlene Hein

Darlene Hein, “Popcorn”, age 79, of Beaver Dam, died Monday, December 13, 2021 at Watertown Health Care Center. Service for Darlene will be private with burial at Friesland Cemetery. Darlene was born on May 2, 1942 in the Town of Randolph, Wisconsin, the youngest in the family of Jense and Nellie (nee: Havinga) Dykstra. She had been married to Alan Leystra and later to Fred Hein. In her younger years Darlene worked at the Weyenberg shoe factory in Beaver Dam, and in the mail-room at the Daily Citizen Newspaper. She enjoyed going to the Beaver Dam Senior Center, participating in the various activities there, and for a time, served as a Receptionist and meal site worker. Darlene was called “Popcorn” because she was known to prepare popcorn for the Senior Center members. She loved animals and would occasionally accompany her daughter to a dog show or “fur-babysit”. She enjoyed going to Chili John’s for a bite to eat, and going with friends to listen to the US Silver Dollar Band. Darlene was a Packer fan and she enjoyed watching the games. She looked forward to, and loved, spending time with family. She was a kind, sweet, trusting soul, who always looked for the good in people. Darlene is survived by her children, Bonnie (Mike) Goetz of Beaver Dam, and Dale Leystra (Lori Roberts) of Cambria; her siblings, Peter (Carol) Dykstra, Richard “Dick” Dykstra, and Marion Alsum; her sister-in-law, Dorothy Dykstra; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Darlene was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers, Gerrit, Louis, and Leo DeBoer, and Jim Dykstra; three sisters, Tillie Brotkouski, Nellie Ferge, and Sarah Preuss; two siblings in infancy; four brothers-in-law; and four sisters-in-law.