Darlene Elaine Fotopoulos

Darlene Elaine Freeman Fotopoulos

September 3, 1934 — May 21, 2018

Darlene Elaine Freeman Fotopoulos finished her labors on this earth on May 21, 2018, and went home to live joyfully with her Lord and all the saints in heaven.

She was born in Alexandria, Minnesota, on September 3, 1934, to Kenneth Freeman and Ruth Ide Freeman. The family carne to Oregon in 1939 and settled in east Multnomah County. In 1945, they moved to the Corvallis area. Darlene attended Lincoln Elementary School and Corvallis High School, graduating in 1953.

Taking advantage of a program which insured that they would serve together, Darlene and her sister Bernice enlisted in the US Army in August 1955. After completing basic training and secretarial training in Alabama, they were assigned to the Presidio in San Francisco. They remained at the Presidio until discharged in August 1957.

Darlene married John Peter Fotopoulos on November 7, 1959, in Vancouver, Washington. They first lived in Corvallis before moving to Milpitas, California, in 1962. The family returned to the Mid-Willamette Valley in 1966. After spending a year in Salem, they moved to Albany and purchased a home on Riverside Drive.

Three children were born to the couple, Kenneth Gene, Eugenia Ruth, and Jenny Lynne.

John died on September 15, 1972, and Darlene was left with three young children to raise on her own. She had a strong and active faith and trusted in God who she firmly believed would provide. Her resilience and great love for her children was apparent to all who knew her.

Darlene enrolled at Linn-Benton Community College and received her Associates Degree in Drafting in 1977. She was hired by Consumer's Power in Corvallis in 1978, and remained employed by them for 18 years until she retired in 1996.

Darlene was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Salem, Oregon.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John; siblings, Eugene Freeman, Bernice Fuller, and William Freeman; and by son-in-law, Dan Shilhanek.

She is survived by son, Kenneth Fotopoulos; and two daughters Eugenia Lloyd (Morris), and Jenny Shilhanek; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and by her brother Keith Freeman.

Committal services will take place at 12:00 PM on June 21 at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 SE Mt. Scott Blvd., Portland. Darlene will be laid to rest with her husband. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on June 22 at Immanuel Lutheran, 510 Idylwood Dr. SE, Salem. All family and friends are welcome.

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