Darlene Gans

Darlene Gans January 12, 1950 - November 20, 2020 Orting , Washington - Darlene Gans (MA) Born in Seattle Washington to Jack and Gloria Fortenberry. She spent her younger years in the Auburn and Puyallup area with her brothers Butch,Donald and sister Bonnie. A bit of a tomboy growing up she spent a lot of her younger years around her uncle Jim learning how to change oil, tuneups and whatever it took to keep her car running, never scared to get dirt under her nails. Darlene settled in Orting where she had two sons Jack and Clint. Raising them for the most part on her own,times were often trying for them. Working at Andersons Mill, splitting cedar shakes by hand, roofing houses, working on cars and at times harvesting pinecones and ferns for extra money. Whatever it took Darlene never quit and always provided for her sons. She attended Bates vocational school in the early 80s receiving a certificate in welding. She had jobs on many Seattle area bridges, tugboats and giant container ships. While working in the shipyards she met the love of her life Terry. They worked together for several years becoming good friends and married in 1994. They enjoyed many adventures together, 4 wheeling, hunting, fishing, clam digging and sailing a 67 foot boat to Alaska and living on it. They made a living as welders and eventually using their boat as a dive vessel for sea cucumbers & sea urchins adding to the adventure. They lived on the boat for seven years enjoying their time and making life long friends. They eventually sailed the boat back to Puget Sound and nestled into their home where Darlene raised her sons Occasionally she would venture back to Alaska to work a job with her son Clint or go on a hunting adventure with her son Jack but Home was in Orting with Terry. After retiring she enjoyed running her bandsaw mill, remodeling their home and taking an occasional road trip to visit family and friends. Anybody who knew her loved her and she loved them back. Darlene would give anything she had to a complete stranger. I remember times her buying groceries and she would take them to homeless camps and hand them out. Everybody called her MA because if you knew her she treated you like your mom would. She is preceded in death by her parents Jack and Gloria, stepfather Roy, uncle Jim and aunt Judy, sister Bonnie, brother Butch, niece Angie, and nephew Jamie. She is survived by her husband Terry Gans, Son Jack (Kat) Myers,Son Clint (Nickie) Covey, Brother Donald (Nancy) Robinson grandsons Justin and Taylor, Great grandson Jaxson & Nephew Don Evans. Extended family, Casey (Julie) Smith, Jake (Niki) Smith, Terry Smith. She also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, cousins and special life long friends. WE LOVE YOU MA Due to the ongoing pandemic and associated safety concerns a celebration of life will be held at a later date.