Rempel, Arlene Doris Friesen (1932-2004)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2004 Aug 2 p. 8

Birth date: 1932 Aug 15

text of obituary:

ARLENE REMPEL

Arlene Doris Rempel, 71, of Henderson, Neb., died June 28, 2004, after a two-year struggle with cancer. She was born Aug. 15, 1932, to Peter O. and Helen Bergen Friesen on a farm southwest of Aurora.

She graduated from Henderson High School in 1950.

She was baptized and accepted into the fellowship of Bethesda Mennonite Church in Henderson in 1950. She enjoyed participating in Mission Circle, serving on the social committee and teaching Sunday school. She and her husband were youth leaders and served on the MCC canner committee. She had a strong faith in the Lord.

She married her high school sweetheart, Walter Rempel, on Aug. 31, 1950. They settled on a farm south of Aurora. She loved cooking and baking. She was a great hostess. Her hobbies were gardening, sewing, embroidering, crocheting and scrapbooking. She and Walt enjoyed trips with their motor home and put many miles on their Harley Davidson motorcycle.

After their farm sale in 1986, they went to Siloam Springs, Ark., where they were custodians at Day Spring Greeting Cards for a year. They returned to the farm again in 1987. She began working as a certified nurse aid in long term care and at Hamilton Manor in Aurora. When they moved to Henderson in 1991, she worked at Henderson Nursing Home until June 2002. Her generosity and servant heart touched many lives.

Survivors include her husband, Walt; five children, Joyce Friesen and her husband, Ron, of Aurora, Carol Janzen and her husband, Royce, of Henderson, LaVerne and his wife, Lynda, of Aurora, Connie Friesen and her husband, Melvin, of Aurora, and Lynette Jost and her husband, Rod, of Hillsboro, Kan.; a brother, LeRoy V. Friesen of Henderson; a sister, Kathleen Unruh of Wichita, Kan.; 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were an infant brother, Allen Dean; and a son-in-law, Calvin Epp.

Memorial services were held at Bethesda Mennonite Church.