Betty "Darlene" Richards, 82, of Lead passed away on August 5, 2010 at her home with her husband, Norm, by her side.

Memorial services will be Monday, August 16, 2010 at 2:30 p.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Lead, SD, with Pastor Bruce Adams officiating. A reception will follow at the Christian Ministry Center. Burial will take place at Black Hills National Cemetery at a later date. A memorial has been established to the Hospice of the Black Hills.

Darlene was born June 7, 1928 in Deadwood, SD to Wilfred Archille and Helen (Johnson Tetrault-Grzybowski) Tetrault. She grew up in the St. Onge area graduating from Deadwood High School.

She married Norman Richards on September 19, 1946 in Deadwood. At the time of her death, they were married just short of 64 years. Norm and Darlene were blessed with four children: Norman Lee, Norma, Mark, and Keith.

Darlene enjoyed life to the fullest before Alzheimer's limited her activities. Even then, she was a gracious hostess. She made raspberry jello that was a favorite to all and the best raspberry jam, something her grandchildren would fight over receiving – the raspberries came from her own special raspberry patch. A very special memory that all of her grandchildren talk about is when they rode the bus to Grandma's and Grandpa's house so that they could have a special dinner prepared by grandma and a fun evening of card playing. Darlene treated each grandchild as if they were the only one and always made time for each of them.

She was a wonderful cook and a beautiful dancer. Many Saturday nights were spent dancing at the Moose Lodge, VFW or a polka festival wherever that would take them. She had a passion for gardening, especially pansies, and spending time with her family. Darlene was a great help when it came to remodeling or the building of a home but she also enjoyed sewing, crafts, cross word puzzles, bowling, skiing, camping, snowmobiling and golfing. Darlene and Norm spent winters in Arizona, making friends and dance partners wherever they went. She loved to decorate her home / park palm tree for every holiday.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband, Norman of Lead; daughters, Norma (Will) Cooper of Lead; Carol Richards of Gillette, WY; son, Keith Richards of Spearfish, SD; granddaughters, Heidi (Chad) Cooper-Justus, Dawn (Paul) Richards-Wagner, Heather (Shad) Sweeney, Derekia Richards (Lance Kuschel) and Meri Richards (Joe Thompson); grandsons, Jason (Melissa) Richards and Tyler Burke; great grandchildren, Claire and Cooper Justus, Evan and Ryan Wagner, Bailey and Wyatt Sweeney, Austin and Ana Carpenter, Tanner and Brady Richards; brothers Roger (Ruby) and David (Trudie) and several nieces and nephews. She was a wonderful daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and great grandmother and will be missed by all.

She was preceded in death by her sons, Norman and Mark; her parents and her sister, Nadine.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Lead-Deadwood Memorial Chapel of Lead. Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com.