As many of our members have probably heard, we regret to inform you of the passing of Darlene Warra Bjornsgard. Darlene was one of the founding members of FAFF, involved with planning the first festival in 1982. Since that time, Darlene was an active member of FAFF, holding the chair position for multiple festivals including FinnFest USA in 2006. Darlene sang in the Finnish American Adult Choir, decorated and designed display rooms at festivals, was one of many to dress in traditional dress (which was a outfit designed specifically for the Naselle area) and was often one of the first to be at the school setting up for the festival and the last to leave. While Darlene was presumably considered one of the “younger” founders of our festival, she grew to the matriarch position of our board, with many of us seeking input from her while trying to catch up with her! While her first legacy is the family she left behind, Darlene left a legacy for the FAFF organization as well. She will be in the back of our minds, and on our hearts as we move forward for years to come. Her distinctive handwriting (literal and figurative) will leave a lasting impression on FAFF for generations. Our appreciation goes out to her family for sharing her with us for all these years, and our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time.
