Darlene (Lehnherr) Caflisch passed away on January 25th at The Waters of Mayowood where she was a resident in the memory care unit.

She is survived by her husband, George "Shorty"; and nine children, Peter (Donna), John (Lynn), Tim (Annette), Annie Quintano (Ray), Mona (Fred) Hoeft, Carol Quattlebaum, Sara Gaitan (Kent), Russ (Terry) and Phil. She leaves behind 22 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her mother, step-father and five siblings.

She was born in Rochester on November 28, 1935. She graduated from Lourdes High School and had a career at St. Marys Hospital for 25 years. She married Shorty on May 25, 1957 where together they made their home in rural Chatfield and later in SE Rochester.

Darlene took great pleasure in raising her children, particularly child number seven whom she favored, but would not publicly proclaim. Later in life, she grew into the role of the spunky (quotable) grandma, taking the next generation(s) swimming, hosting countless slumber parties, running carpool when need be, and teaching them to press flowers, paint, and properly frost a Christmas cookie. The rite of passage for every one-year-old grandchild was to have grandma put a pickle in their hand – she adored watching the faces they would make as they took a bite.

Upon retirement, she volunteered at the Rochester Medical Missions, Community Food Response, along with several elementary schools helping children learn to read.

Darlene was culinarily "gifted"; her special knack was stretching a pound of hamburger to feed 11 people and her peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches are the stuff of family legend.

She is remembered not as she was in her final days but as she had been, the Caflisch family matriarch, a master scrimper; talented sewer, quilter; supportive wife, mother and grandmother; showing unrelenting compassion for the less-fortunate; one tough cookie.

Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 29th at Resurrection Catholic Church with Rev. Peter Schuster officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services at the church. Burial will be held at a later date in St. Bridget's Cemetery in Simpson, MN.

Memorials are suggested to Rochester Medical Missions. https://www.givemn.org/organization/Rochester-Medical-And-Relief-Mission-Group