Darlene S. Soucy

Darlene Ternes Soucy, of Fargo, North Dakota, passed away Friday September 25, 2026.

Born in a small clinic in Flasher, North Dakota, Darlene grew up on a farm near Raleigh, North Dakota. She attended boarding schools in Minot and New England and graduated high school from MacIntosh SD. After graduation she moved to Bismarck where she worked as a nurse, which was how she met Jim, they married on November 21, 1960. They spent some time Bismarck before moving to Bonners Ferry Idaho. She continued her nursing career until they moved back to Raleigh after her dad Anton passed away. They took over the family farm and raised their own family. After they left the farm, they moved to New Salem ND for a few years before settling in Fargo. Many hours have been – and will continue to be – spent reminiscing about her childhood playing Anti Over, numerous games with her siblings in which their imagination took objects and turned them into endless hours of play. Simple rocks and sticks were valuable resources and wedding dances, and roller-skating. In addition to those days spent branding cattle, painting the barn, milking Blackie – who would only accept Darlene’s hands, calling for the orphan calves (Mucamousie and Tucatousie) for their bottle feedings, chasing the escaped pigs – who would wait until she was about to add 16 cups of flour to her bread dough, and taking care of the occasional skunk, mouse, bat, badger or rattlesnake.

A caregiver by trade and by nature, Darlene was a nurse, housekeeper, farm wife, extraordinaire, and a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was always making something and would say that the ditch was her favorite craft store. She’d come home with everything from cattails to thistles and would create gorgeous and unique home décor; she was most proud of her 1st place prize winning “teasle weasels” that she put together with thistles, moss, driftwood, and googley eyes for some personality. Her enthusiasm and humor were contagious; we will never forget her getting so excited watching the 90’s Bulls that she tipped her rocking chair backwards cheering for her favorite, Scottie Pippen!

Her grandchildren will always remember how special she made sleepovers. Her homemade play doh was like playing with clouds, and she was a master at making the perfect ball or snake with it. Any art they created was always treated as a masterpiece deserving of a museum. A movie night was not complete without the biggest bowl of popcorn you’ve ever seen, and when it was time to decorate for Christmas that same bowl of popcorn was brought out to string into the most delicious and festive tree garland. Many hours were spent outside playing catch and harvesting “sausages” from the tree in the yard. She would make warm milk with honey before bed, and the decision between pancakes, waffles, or Chocolate Malt-O-Meal was always taken very seriously.

Darlene’s favorite thing was to be surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; you could find her dying eggs on Easter, making a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas, and catching up on everyone’s most recent adventures, accomplishments, and creations. She was always so proud of her loved ones and made sure they didn’t forget just how special they are.

Darlene is survived by her beloved husband, James Soucy Sr., her sister Alvina, her children Jim (Cece) Soucy, Tom (Penne) Soucy, Linda (Vern) Schroeder, and Kenny (Heather) Soucy, her grandchildren Josh (Jamie) Soucy, Mariah Soucy, Isaiah (Alasia) Soucy, Elijah (Morgan) Soucy, Jessica (Josh) Hoffart, Michelle (Matt) Werlinger, Monica (Devin) Graf, Alicia (Justin) Schroeder-Schock, Adam (Marena) Schroeder, Quinn Napier, and Aaron Soucy, and her great-grandchildren, Turner, Taisley, Laker, Ledger, Ivey, Theo, Mason, Aiden, Callum, Sawyer, Bennet, Easton, and Addelynn.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Marcellina (Grosz) and Anton Ternes, and her siblings, Regina, Phil, Appy, Anne, Ex, Teresa, Emil, Margie, Renata, Mary, Joseph, and Bernadette.