WINTHROP – Darlene Faye Berry Rodzen, 69, died at her home in Winthrop on Thursday, Aug. 10.

She was born in Gardiner on Nov. 20, 1936, the daughter of Roy and Doris (Weston) Berry of Litchfield Corner.

She was a loving and caring wife and mother who worked as a bookkeeper before her children were born, then chose to stay at home to raise her family. Later, she worked as the office administrator for the Winthrop Congregational United Church of Christ for 18 years, a job she loved dearly.

Darlene was the very proud recipient of the Winthrop Spirit of America Foundation Award in 1999 and the Community Service Award by the Winthrop Grange in 2005.

This prayer that she wrote at one of the church office administrator retreats she attended at Rockcraft Lodge reflects the kind of person she was:

Help me listen to all who need to talk, whether it be brief or long.

Help me to be caring and understanding.

Let me show love and concern when needed.

And always be a helping hand whenever and wherever I may be.

She is survived by her husband of 50-plus years, Bill; three sons, Eric and his wife, Denise, of Livermore Falls, Mark and his wife, Cathy, of Wayne, and Todd of Swansey, N.H.; special stepmom, Ruth Berry, of Sabattus; her sister, Colleen Patterson and her husband, Pat, of Manchester; sisters-in-law, Jo Ellen McLaughlin and her husband, Dale, and Lyn Simonds and her husband, David, both of Lake Placid, Fla.; three grandsons, Tristan and his wife, Heidi, of Norway, Damon and his wife, Tia, and Logan of Livermore Falls; great-granddaughter, Teaghan, and great-grandson, Holden; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She also leaves behind her extended families of Ralph and Connie Burnham, Vic and Carol Caprara, and Peter and Lisa deWolfe, and very special longtime friends, Jo Ann Osborne of Ashland, Ky., and Patty Harvey of Litchfield.