Mary "Darlene" Rhodes

Mary Darlene Rhodes, 88, of Casper, WY, passed away Saturday, July 19, 2025, at Central Wyoming Hospice surrounded by loving family.

Darlene was born on December 11, 1936, in Penestaja, New Mexico. Darlene was one of 13 children to George Sr. and Inez Foster. She attended elementary school in Lindreth, New Mexico. There, she began going by her middle name because there were four other “Marys” at her small school. After graduating high school in Durango, Colorado, in 1952, Darlene moved to Farmington, New Mexico, to live with one of her sisters. In March 1957, while she was working at a Chinese restaurant, Darlene met the love of her life, Milo “Dusty” Rhodes. The couple dated for six weeks before they married on May 7, 1957, in Farmington. Dusty worked with a seismograph crew at the time, so frequent moves were made to various states, sometimes with only a few hours notice, and sometimes only for them to end up staying at the new location for days or weeks. During their early years of marriage, Darlene and Dusty lived in New Mexico, Wyoming, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Colorado, Utah and Montana. Darlene and Dusty decided to settle down in Riverton, Wyoming, in 1967 before eventually moving to Casper in 1974.

Darlene was a stay-at-home mom to four daughters: Catherine, Barbara, Beverly and Tonya. Shortly after moving to Riverton, Darlene and Dusty also became foster parents to two more girls, Leona and Sheila, who became a permanent part of their family. They fostered other children while living in Riverton and continued to foster after moving to Casper. Darlene and Dusty also cared for multiple children attending the Wyoming School for the Deaf who were away from their homes or families during the school year. Darlene operated an in-home daycare center for many years, caring for babies and children of all ages. Her love for children also led her into church ministry where she worked in the nursery department at Highland Park Community Church for several years. In 1980, Darlene and Dusty were blessed with the birth of their “surprise” child, Nathan. A few years after his birth, grandchildren started coming along. Over the years, overnight stays at Grandma and Grandpa’s became regular events, and Darlene’s famous waffles with chocolate chips or Red Hots candies became a must-have that everyone looked forward to. Darlene was an excellent baker and cook and used her talents to help support the family and to minister to people in need by bringing meals to their home. She taught herself how to decorate cakes and was kept busy baking them for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and special occasions. She also catered for church groups, businesses and other events. Even up to a few years ago, while living in an assisted living facility, she would bake cookies for her favorite nurses and CNAs who would come by on their breaks to visit. Darlene was a faithful wife to Dusty for 59 years and cared for him through years of dialysis and other health issues until his death in 2016.

Christmas was the season that Darlene loved the most — Christmas in July on the QVC channel was a close second! Over the years, she accumulated a vast collection of decorations and fondly displayed them for family and friends to enjoy. Residents and staff in assisted living would often come over to enjoy her lit-up Christmas village scenes, various angels and other festive pieces she displayed. As decorations were being taken down from one year, she would make plans on how to improve and expand for the next.

Darlene lived her faith quietly and “behind the scenes.” Due to her faithful example and prayers, Dusty returned to his relationship with Jesus in 1966. One of her favorite activities was listening to and watching videos of the Gaither Vocal Band or, in later years, listening to their music on her iPad. Darlene found comfort in the music of the Redeemed Quartet after Dusty’s death, along with other southern gospel groups. Darlene enjoyed the discussions and lessons with her Sunday school class at College Heights Baptist Church. She took great comfort in her faith during her final years as her health began to decline.

Darlene is survived by six children, Barbara (Jim) Gale of Evansville, WY; Beverly (Jacques) Blackwell of Beecher Town, Jamaica; Tonya (Jim) Louks of Edmond, OK; Leona Bartsch of Newark, DE; Sheila (Rick) Pigott of Tampa, FL; and Nathan Rhodes of Denison, TX. She is also survived by 23 grandchildren; 49 great-grandchildren; 7 great-great-grandchildren; sisters Lois Carr of Albuquerque, NM, and Norma Cook of Nipoma, CA; son-in-law Lee Black of Heber, UT; nieces, nephews, other relatives and dear friends.

Darlene was preceded in death by her parents, George Sr. and Inez; husband, Dusty; daughter, Catherine; infant sons, Milo Darren and Michael Dean; siblings, Edward, Leroy, Sam, George, Donald, John, Christine, Florence, Dorothy and Patricia; and great-grandchild, Noah Spaulding.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at the College Heights Baptist Church Upper Chapel, located at 1927 S. Walnut St., Casper, WY. Internment is to follow at a later date at the Oregon Trail Veterans Cemetery in Evansville, WY.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Central Wyoming Hospice (www.centralwyominghospice.org/donate) or Outreach Jamaica (www.outreachjamaica.org), a ministry that reflects Darlene’s compassionate spirit and love for children, operated by her daughter and son-in-law Bev and Jacques Blackwell.

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