Darla Jo (Maher) Orchard

Darla Jo (Maher) Orchard, 54, passed away unexpectedly on July 21, 2024.

Darla was born September 16, 1969 in Hastings, MN, to Paul and LaMae Maher. She spent most of her childhood in Battle Lake, MN and graduated from Battle Lake High School in 1988 amongst a community of friends. Darla then joined the U.S. Navy and began her training at the Naval Training Center in Orlando, FL on November 8, 1989. She was then stationed at Naval Station Mayport just outside of Jacksonville, FL where she met her husband, Keith. Together, they had one child, Devin. She received an honorable discharge from the Navy on May 8, 1992 and then moved back to Minnesota with her family. She settled in the small town of Hastings, where she worked as a travel agent most of her life while raising her son. Darla treasured the adventures of travelling, exploring as close as the North Shore and as far as Australia, China, Egypt, Europe, and most of the United States with her family and friends. She was the bedrock of her family, bringing relatives together across great distances to stay connected throughout the years. She was an avid lover of board games and always brought her neighborhood together for game nights and grilling. Similarly, Darla loved to craft and read and would bring together friends and family to participate in crafting weekends and book clubs. The theme of her life was connection and she was always at the heart of it. She was most excited for her next adventure as a grandmother and was looking forward to welcoming her first granddaughter this upcoming October. Darla was a beloved mother, wife, daughter, sibling, and friend and will be greatly missed.

Darla was preceded in death by her father Paul, her niece Trisha Maher, and her nephew Jacob Hodnefield. She is survived by her husband Keith, her son Devin and daughter-in-law Ashley, her mother LaMae, her siblings Deb, DeeDee and Danny, her nieces Cassie, Alyssa, Megan, Zaria, and Amalia, her nephews Josh and Anthony, plus many other family members and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 18th from 12:00 to 5:00 pm at the Maher Family Farm: 19175 Nicolai Avenue, Hastings, MN 55033. This will include a potluck, so please feel free to bring a side or dessert to share.