Darlene Virginia Krouse 1942 – 2022

Written by Estero Bay News

March 26, 2022

Darlene Virginia Krouse of Los Osos passed away on March 15, 2022. She had survived a rare cancer called GIST for almost 20 years. Within the past six months she had suffered from numerous health challenges. Despite these, she kept a positive attitude with a strong determination to manage her disease and the difficulties that came with it. Her strong faith, mixed with the many connections she made helped her focus on the bright side of life. Those who knew her would say she was the sweetest, most generous person they had ever met.   

Darlene was born on September 4, 1942 in Santa Maria, California. She grew up in Guadalupe and graduated with a degree in home economics from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She started her working life as a home economics teacher at Hawthorne High in Los Angeles. She married Dennis Krouse in 1968 and started a family thereafter. They moved up to the Central Coast in 1973. As her family grew she became a teacher’s aide in second grade at Sunnyside Elementary, and later obtained her library tech certificate. She worked as a library assistant for many years at Los Osos Middle School.

Her hobbies included cooking delicious foods for her family, sewing and genealogy. Ever the giver, she loved helping to prepare monthly meals for the People’s Kitchen through her church. She was a member of Womenade, which provided assistance to members of the community in need. This evolved into the Estero Bay Kindness Coalition, providing food to families in need. She enjoyed quilting and making dresses and shorts for children in the Philippines through the Dress-a-Girl/Duds-for-Dudes organization. Most everything she did involved making donations. 

Darlene had a big heart and she loved her family and friends deeply. She valued eating meals together, taking group photos, spending time with family and friends.  Her community was very important to her, and she dedicated herself to giving back. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dario and Nadine Ferini. 

She is survived by her husband Dennis, and her 3 children: her daughter Stephanie Krouse and family (Marc Tosches, grandson Ian, and granddaughter Gisele), her son Michael Krouse (and girlfriend Courtney), and her daughter Lori Fleming and family (husband Jeff and granddaughter Jordy), as well as her sister Alberta Lefler, niece Carey Caulfield (grandniece Kelly), her nephew Jim Lefler and family (wife Lindsay,nieces/nephew: London, Ellery, Finley and JR).  

A memorial service will be held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Los Osos on March 26 at 11am.  For those who may not be able to attend, there is an option to view the service on the church’s website. It is https://www.seasparishlo.org/

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your favorite charity in her name. 

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