Darlene Ulbricht

August 5, 1940 — July 31, 2022

Naomi Darlene Ulbricht was born on Aug. 5, 1940, in Orofino, Idaho, the 11th child of 12, to Edwin and Violet Blake. She grew up in Walla Walla, Washington, moving there in 1944.

Darlene, as she liked to be called, touched many lives throughout the years through her different activities with the church, gardening club, and her love for needlework, tatting, knitting and all things craft-related. Most of her tatted and knitted creations were gifts to family and friends. She especially loved knitting baby blankets and booties that she would give for any newborn and related missions.

Her faith in Jesus Christ was her rock and she relied on that through all life’s ups and downs. She was active in the church as a Sunday school teacher, a youth group leader, and administrative tasks, including preparing the weekly bulletins.

Darlene loved music. She played the clarinet in the grade school band, was in the high school choir, and played the piano throughout her adult life. She loved playing the piano and did so every Sunday at church and often at home practicing for a church play or choir rehearsal. She had an amazing voice and loved to sing and her voice always stood out from those around her.

She graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1958 and attended Central Washington University for two years prior to marrying Wesley Ulbricht in 1960. After marriage, they moved to Othello, Washington, where Laina was born, then moved to Moses Lake, Washington.

She was a full-time homemaker during the first two of her children’s school years. During that time she was active in the church, the local garden club, and as an election volunteer. She then took an office job in a potato processing plant in Moses Lake while raising the “second family,” followed by an office job in a potato packaging plant in Warden, Washington until retirement.

Darlene enjoyed camping, whether it was tent camping on family vacations or the “luxurious” cabins at the annual church camp. After the kids had grown, she continued to enjoy camping in their tent trailer.

She was an avid gardener and canned many jars of produce from her own garden, including pickles, green beans, tomato sauce, pears, cherries (unpitted), and applesauce.

Darlene went home to be with her heavenly father on the morning of July 31, 2022, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington.

She is preceded in death by her brothers Edwin, Richard, Cloyd and Maurice and her sisters Rebecca, Lyla, Esther, Arbara, Barbara and Pansy. She is survived by her younger sister Rachel; her husband Wesley; their four children Laina, Larry, Calvin and Stephen; nine grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.

A memorial will be held on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022, at the Peninsula Community Church located at 2403 W. Texas St. Moses Lake, Washington. Services will start at 11 a.m.