Our beloved mom, Darlene Marlys Markus, was born on July 22, 1927, and died peacefully on February 1, 2021. She was a resident of Presbyterian Homes in Spring Park, MN. “On the Road Again” was her favorite song and testament to her love of travel. It especially epitomized the 12 years she spent traveling the U.S.A. as part of her Loners on Wheels group and with other friends who shared her sense of adventure. Driving a 34’ motorhome by herself, she couldn’t wait to “see what was around the next corner”. Mom especially loved the Southwest spending part of each year with hundreds of other like-minded people on the Flats in California. In between her domestic travels, she managed to arrange a few European tours, a river boat cruise on the Danube and a train trip that traversed a large part of the U.S and Canada. During the MN summers, she spent time with her daughter, Marti, her son-in-law, Tony, and grandchildren, Jesse, Lee, Faith and Claire. She also spent time with son, Chris, and his wife, Suzi and grandchildren Jonathan, Jenna, Kyle and Anthony in Folsom, CA, and traveled to Sarasota, Florida, to visit with son, Greg, and his wife, Shell and grandson Michael.

Mom’s sense of adventure was shared by her husband Bob. With their young children in tow and a bright orange, Montgomery Ward’s caterpillar tent, mom and dad camped, canoed and fished throughout beautiful Midwestern and Southwestern state and national parks, many times with their friends, Pat and Lorraine Leonard and children. Together, they instilled in their children a love of the great outdoors, as well as, a lifelong love of travel and camping. Though mom was a stay at home mom for a time, she eventually enjoyed several types of careers ranging from an Avon representative, a physician’s administrative assistant and finally, as a tour guide – the perfect match for her. Encompassing her love of travel and meeting people from all over the world, this venue played on her skills at presenting historical information to tour guests while being able to take advantage of the trip’s amenities especially musical entertainment opportunities.

When she decided to leave the road and find a permanent home, she sold her RV and eventually moved to Nokomis, Fl, where she lived for nine years near her son, Greg and daughter-in-law, Shelley. She loved the Gulf Coast relishing the beach and bird watching,the Venice jetty, the many resale shops, art festivals and Unity church-related events that were offered. She established many new friendships and was able to spend the winter months with her best friend, Sandy Ellerbush, who lived nearby. Additionally, she volunteered at Historic Spanish Point that is a 30-acre museum where she was a featured player in the reenactments of period dramas and at Resurrection House, a resource center for people who are homeless. For many years, she also contributed to a non-profit organization in Haiti that made it possible for a child she sponsored to obtain an education. In 2014, she moved to Spring Park, MN, to be near her daughter, Marti, son-in-law, Tony and her grandchildren. Marti helped her create a unique bird sanctuary off her living room deck where she spent hours being entertained by her bird friend’s antics.

Our mom is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 34 years, Robert Markus, daughters Marti Markus (2016) and Mary Markus, parents Walter and Olga Eggiman. She leaves behind children and grandchildren who relished her stories of growing up on the farm in Glyndon, MN, and her life on the road. They include: Gregory, his wife, Shelley and son, Michael,Chris, and his wife, Suzi, and their children, Jonathan, Kyle, Jenna and Anthony, son-in-law, Tony Purvey (Marti Markus) and their children Jesse, Lee Purvey and Faith Purvey and Claire Purvey Houston. Mom cherished her ties to all her MN family including Dennis Malloy, her brother-in-law and Dora Lou Lynch, her sister-in-law who both survive her and all of her many nieces and nephews. And, she treasured all of her friends who were scattered throughout the U.S. who either traveled with her during her years of adventure or were lifelong friends.

We are grateful for the loving, compassionate care that all members of Presbyterian Homes provided to our mom. They include the extraordinary nurses and assistants in the Gables and Commons areas, the Bistro, maintenance, activities, administrative and server staffs. Because of their exceptional care, mom’s participation in the drumming circle (that she told us was fun but painful on the ears) and bingo (that she learned to like), life in a pandemic lockdown was much more enjoyable.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that you please make donations to Second Harvest Heartland of MN. Mom would like that.