Darla Mae Enger, 69, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, under the compassionate care of Dougherty Hospice.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, at Community Reformed Church. Darla’s family will be present for visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, at Heritage Funeral Home.
Darla Mae Enger (Reit) was born on Feb. 16, 1957, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She grew up in Harrisburg, where she attended Harrisburg Elementary School and Harrisburg High School, graduating in 1975.
Darla met the love of her life, Steve Enger, when they were just kindergarteners. Their friendship eventually grew into something much more, and the high school sweethearts were united in marriage on Aug. 26, 1978. Together, Darla and Steve built a life centered around family, hard work, laughter and the many friendships they made along the way.
Following high school, Darla built a career in sales and marketing. Over the years, she worked with JCPenney Catalog, Brown Drug, and Apex Medical, forming many lifelong friendships throughout her career. During her married life, however, one of her most important roles was that of a farm wife and business partner in Enger Farms alongside Steve and Chris.
Darla and Steve had been told they likely would not be able to have children, making the arrival of their first son, Justin, in 1981 an especially wonderful blessing. Then, with a little insistence from Justin that he needed a sibling, they welcomed their second son, Christopher, in 1986.
Darla was a self-proclaimed – and widely agreed upon – “cool mom.” Justin and Chris’s friends often wished she could be their mom, too. But beyond being cool, Darla taught her sons the importance of having a sense of humor, being generous with their time and sharing their spirit with others.
Her status as “cool mom” was elevated to grandma extraordinaire with the birth of her first grandchild, Evelyn, in 2018. She was blessed with three more grandchildren: Donnie in 2019, Calvin in 2021, and Grace in 2022. Darla was a wonderful mom, but she truly excelled at being a grandma. Nothing brought her greater happiness or fulfillment than her grandchildren. She would drop everything for the opportunity to spend time with them, and they were, without question, among her greatest joys.
Darla was truly one of a kind—the perfect mix of generosity, humor and a larger-than-life personality. She brought an unmistakable warmth to her family and to the friendships she maintained throughout the years. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend who had a way of leaving an impression wherever she went.
She found joy in cooking, spending time with her grandchildren and making Christmas stockings—a talent she perfected to the point of becoming the family’s resident Christmas-stocking-maker extraordinaire. It was just one more way Darla shared her creativity, generosity and love with the people around her.
Darla is survived by her husband, Steve Enger; her sons, Justin Enger (Brian Baker) and Chris Enger (Kayla); her beloved grandchildren, Evelyn, Donnie, Calvin and Grace; her brother, Carroll, and her sister, Joanne; and special cousin Donna Lueders.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Alice (Berndt) Reit; her brother, John Reit; and her beloved dogs, Jake and Lilly.
Darla was blessed with more friends than could possibly be named. Her family would especially like to express their love and gratitude to Bonnie Scott, Barb Olson, Leanne Juhnke and Val Glanzer for their friendship and the special places they held in Darla’s life.
Darla Mae Enger will be remembered for her humor, her generosity, her devotion to those she loved and the unforgettable presence she brought into the lives of others. She loved deeply, laughed often, gave generously and treasured her family above all else. The space left by her passing can never truly be filled, but the love, laughter and memories she leaves behind will remain with all who loved her.
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