Darlene Dahl was born the middle child of her family. She was born in Winnipeg, but her two siblings were born in Bassano and Edmonton. She describes her childhood as turbulent and challenging because the family moved around a lot. Darlene says she learned basic homemaking skills at a young age as she was “Mom’s little helper.” She developed a love of music because they usually sang while they worked together. She left home at age 14 and married at age 16. She got a high school Honours Business Diploma by age 17 and began working as a clerk-typist, residing around Westlock and Athabasca.
Darlene gave birth to her first son at age 19, then her second son at age 21 in Westlock. Her first son was born with a congenital heart defect and underwent open heart surgery at two days old; he also suffered a cardiac arrest at one month old resulting in mild cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Darlene became his health care aide and advocate with guidance from various health care professionals. She left her marriage with her sons and moved to Nakusp, BC to be near family, and then Calgary for better access to health care. She upgraded her technology skills and worked as an Accounts Payable Invoice Analyst, while parenting her two sons. Stress and a serious health scare had her moving to Grande Prairie and family. Only one year later, her special needs son passed away at age nine and her world turned upside down.
In an attempt to find a new purpose, Darlene spent one and a half years at Grande Prairie College and commuted back and forth to Fairview College for two years, to obtain an Animal Health Technologist Diploma. She then married her second husband and moved to his farm near Pickardville, AB. A broad variety of employment followed: auction mart cattle runner; assistant dairy herdsman; oil rig cook; housekeeping aide, cook, and inventory-order clerk in seniors’ facilities; and a personal care aide to a Multiple Sclerosis patient. She took classes and became a Registered Massage Therapist and a Level 2 Reiki practitioner in 2005.
After 13 years of this demanding lifestyle, she moved on from her second marriage, and relocated to Calgary where she focused on her massage therapy career.
Darlene came to Lethbridge in 2010 and was feeling grateful, optimistic, and excited. Her second son lived in Lethbridge, she was building a successful massage clientele, and she met a man she describes as ”the love of her life.” In December 2011, she and her partner were in a motor vehicle accident in which she broke her neck and he broke his collarbone. They supported each other as he mended and she learned to walk again and regain the use of her hands. Darlene says she had a miraculous recovery and was back home in less than three months. Unfortunately, Darlene’s partner collapsed and passed away suddenly in 2013. Once again, her world was turned upside down.
Darlene joined LSCO in 2016. She is a regular weekly volunteer at Winners Bingo and she is involved in the LSCO Foot Clinics. Darlene is an active member in the LSCO Karaoke Group.
Darlene has a variety of interests and hobbies: e.g. arts & crafts, stitchery, card games, puzzles, board games, painting and sketching, and tv shows. She is a good cook and prefers her own cooking, but she does enjoy chocolate.
Darlene is proud to be a mother. She says her children shaped her as much a she shaped them. She is also proud of being in a negotiating team that managed to secure a CUPE pension plan for a group of workers that looked after seniors in Westlock, Alberta.
Darlene’s favourite quotes/advice are: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” and “To have tried and failed is better than to never have tried at all.” Darlene has often been told to write a book about her life’s journey, but she says she needs a ‘ghostwriter’ to help her do so.
Darlene can be found at the LSCO dining room from time to time. She loves to meet new people and is quite willing to share a table and have a chat.
