Please meet Arlene Andersen: patient teacher, dutiful farm wife, selfless mother, cancer survivor, grandmother extraordinaire, and humble purveyor of positivity and grace.
Born on September 7, 1930 to Howard and Lillie Blank, Ruth Arlene Blank grew up on a farm east of Shenandoah, Iowa along with her sister, Dorothy. Arlene enjoyed school and had her own row in the family garden, where she would pick and "accidently" eat all the carrots before returning to the farmhouse. She didn't mind that many of her dresses were made from flour sacks because, "We were all poor back then." Arlene attended Coin Consolidated school and upon a fortune-teller's advice to her father, moved with her parents to Omaha, Nebraska in 1943. Arlene attended Jackson Grade School and graduated from Omaha's Central High School in 1948. She then attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, where she joined Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority and graduated in 1952 with a degree in elementary education. Arlene had a lovely soprano voice; she sang in a college choir quartet and later in life for pleasure.
Arlene married Allen Saye in 1952 and to them a son, Steven, was born. Arlene began teaching school in southwest Iowa and also helped out in the family's meat locker business in Northboro. Throughout her life she was known in the family as an expert on pork chops and beef roasts. After Allen's death, Arlene married Charles "Swede" Andersen in 1964 and to this marriage their daughter, Shelley, was born. Arlene taught elementary school in Riverton and Shenandoah, IA, with a special focus in reading for 30 years until her retirement in 1997. In 2010 after 46 years of marriage and upon Swede's death, Arlene and her sister moved to Omaha to live closer to Steve and Shelley. She lovingly cared for Dorothy until her sister's passing. Arlene peacefully passed away at Pacific Springs Village in Omaha on November 16, 2022, age 92, from complications of liver and heart disease.
We remember Arlene's smile, her warmth, and her deep love for children—hundreds of students over the years. They benefited from her patience and encouragement as she taught even the most challenged how to read. Outside the classroom, she imparted to us that worrying was a waste of time and that complaining didn't get you very far. Arlene had a great knowledge of antiques and enjoyed refinishing them for her home. She fancied local cultural offerings, including the Mule Barn Theater in Tarkio, antique shows, visits to the Iowa State Fair, and touring all corners of the state of Iowa for family trips. Travels to Hawaii, Scandinavia, Costa Rica, and many other parts of the U.S. were also logged. Later in life, Arlene and Swede took two glorious cruises with family to Alaska and Central America where she proved to us that two weeks without her luggage in a foreign country was "no big deal."
Arlene and Swede were members of Locust Grove Methodist Church and enjoyed gathering with neighbors to play cards and to visit. Throughout her life, she enjoyed gardening, genealogy, cooking, helping Swede in the beanfield, crosswords, and introducing farm skills (like hanging clothes on the line and shelling garden peas) to her grandchildren, Dash and Scarlett. Later in life, she earned a Wii bowling championship crown. And her bingo prowess was undeniable.
Arlene's smiling eyes actually twinkled and were a window to her bright soul. Her positivity was ever-present; you could count on Arlene to be "up for anything," while encouraging others to do the same. To know Arlene was to witness optimism and the generosity of simply being a good neighbor. She was approachable and kind, naturally welcoming all who crossed her path. Arlene exercised practicality and was an early recycler—saving tin foil and re-using plastic bags was instinctual. Her creamed corn and butterhorn rolls are legendary. Please enjoy Arlene's pickle recipe—her gift to us all.
Grammy's Candied Pickles
1 quart jar whole dill pickles
1½ cups granulated white sugar
¾ tsp. crushed dried red pepper flakes
Drain all the liquid from the dill pickles. Slice the whole pickles into spears and return them to the empty jar. Add the white sugar and red pepper flakes. Refrigerate and stir often for 1 day before enjoying.
Arlene is preceded in death by her parents, late husbands Allen Saye and Swede Andersen, and sister Dorothy Gartland. She is survived by son Steve Saye (Pam), daughter Shelley Wedergren, Scott Wedergren, "whiz-bang" grandchildren Dash and Scarlett Wedergren, longtime childhood friend Howard Carlson, and Keith and Karen Hartz.
Born on September 7, 1930 to Howard and Lillie Blank, Ruth Arlene Blank grew up on a farm east of Shenandoah, Iowa along with her sister, Dorothy. Arlene enjoyed school and had her own row in the family garden, where she would pick and "accidently" eat all the carrots before returning to the farmhouse. She didn't mind that many of her dresses were made from flour sacks because, "We were all poor back then." Arlene attended Coin Consolidated school and upon a fortune-teller's advice to her father, moved with her parents to Omaha, Nebraska in 1943. Arlene attended Jackson Grade School and graduated from Omaha's Central High School in 1948. She then attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, where she joined Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority and graduated in 1952 with a degree in elementary education. Arlene had a lovely soprano voice; she sang in a college choir quartet and later in life for pleasure.
Arlene married Allen Saye in 1952 and to them a son, Steven, was born. Arlene began teaching school in southwest Iowa and also helped out in the family's meat locker business in Northboro. Throughout her life she was known in the family as an expert on pork chops and beef roasts. After Allen's death, Arlene married Charles "Swede" Andersen in 1964 and to this marriage their daughter, Shelley, was born. Arlene taught elementary school in Riverton and Shenandoah, IA, with a special focus in reading for 30 years until her retirement in 1997. In 2010 after 46 years of marriage and upon Swede's death, Arlene and her sister moved to Omaha to live closer to Steve and Shelley. She lovingly cared for Dorothy until her sister's passing. Arlene peacefully passed away at Pacific Springs Village in Omaha on November 16, 2022, age 92, from complications of liver and heart disease.
We remember Arlene's smile, her warmth, and her deep love for children—hundreds of students over the years. They benefited from her patience and encouragement as she taught even the most challenged how to read. Outside the classroom, she imparted to us that worrying was a waste of time and that complaining didn't get you very far. Arlene had a great knowledge of antiques and enjoyed refinishing them for her home. She fancied local cultural offerings, including the Mule Barn Theater in Tarkio, antique shows, visits to the Iowa State Fair, and touring all corners of the state of Iowa for family trips. Travels to Hawaii, Scandinavia, Costa Rica, and many other parts of the U.S. were also logged. Later in life, Arlene and Swede took two glorious cruises with family to Alaska and Central America where she proved to us that two weeks without her luggage in a foreign country was "no big deal."
Arlene and Swede were members of Locust Grove Methodist Church and enjoyed gathering with neighbors to play cards and to visit. Throughout her life, she enjoyed gardening, genealogy, cooking, helping Swede in the beanfield, crosswords, and introducing farm skills (like hanging clothes on the line and shelling garden peas) to her grandchildren, Dash and Scarlett. Later in life, she earned a Wii bowling championship crown. And her bingo prowess was undeniable.
Arlene's smiling eyes actually twinkled and were a window to her bright soul. Her positivity was ever-present; you could count on Arlene to be "up for anything," while encouraging others to do the same. To know Arlene was to witness optimism and the generosity of simply being a good neighbor. She was approachable and kind, naturally welcoming all who crossed her path. Arlene exercised practicality and was an early recycler—saving tin foil and re-using plastic bags was instinctual. Her creamed corn and butterhorn rolls are legendary. Please enjoy Arlene's pickle recipe—her gift to us all.
Grammy's Candied Pickles
1 quart jar whole dill pickles
1½ cups granulated white sugar
¾ tsp. crushed dried red pepper flakes
Drain all the liquid from the dill pickles. Slice the whole pickles into spears and return them to the empty jar. Add the white sugar and red pepper flakes. Refrigerate and stir often for 1 day before enjoying.
Arlene is preceded in death by her parents, late husbands Allen Saye and Swede Andersen, and sister Dorothy Gartland. She is survived by son Steve Saye (Pam), daughter Shelley Wedergren, Scott Wedergren, "whiz-bang" grandchildren Dash and Scarlett Wedergren, longtime childhood friend Howard Carlson, and Keith and Karen Hartz.
Please meet Arlene Andersen: patient teacher, dutiful farm wife, selfless mother, cancer survivor, grandmother extraordinaire, and humble purveyor of positivity and grace.
Born on September 7, 1930 to Howard and Lillie Blank, Ruth Arlene Blank grew up on a farm east of Shenandoah, Iowa along with her sister, Dorothy. Arlene enjoyed school and had her own row in the family garden, where she would pick and "accidently" eat all the carrots before returning to the farmhouse. She didn't mind that many of her dresses were made from flour sacks because, "We were all poor back then." Arlene attended Coin Consolidated school and upon a fortune-teller's advice to her father, moved with her parents to Omaha, Nebraska in 1943. Arlene attended Jackson Grade School and graduated from Omaha's Central High School in 1948. She then attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, where she joined Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority and graduated in 1952 with a degree in elementary education. Arlene had a lovely soprano voice; she sang in a college choir quartet and later in life for pleasure.
Arlene married Allen Saye in 1952 and to them a son, Steven, was born. Arlene began teaching school in southwest Iowa and also helped out in the family's meat locker business in Northboro. Throughout her life she was known in the family as an expert on pork chops and beef roasts. After Allen's death, Arlene married Charles "Swede" Andersen in 1964 and to this marriage their daughter, Shelley, was born. Arlene taught elementary school in Riverton and Shenandoah, IA, with a special focus in reading for 30 years until her retirement in 1997. In 2010 after 46 years of marriage and upon Swede's death, Arlene and her sister moved to Omaha to live closer to Steve and Shelley. She lovingly cared for Dorothy until her sister's passing. Arlene peacefully passed away at Pacific Springs Village in Omaha on November 16, 2022, age 92, from complications of liver and heart disease.
We remember Arlene's smile, her warmth, and her deep love for children—hundreds of students over the years. They benefited from her patience and encouragement as she taught even the most challenged how to read. Outside the classroom, she imparted to us that worrying was a waste of time and that complaining didn't get you very far. Arlene had a great knowledge of antiques and enjoyed refinishing them for her home. She fancied local cultural offerings, including the Mule Barn Theater in Tarkio, antique shows, visits to the Iowa State Fair, and touring all corners of the state of Iowa for family trips. Travels to Hawaii, Scandinavia, Costa Rica, and many other parts of the U.S. were also logged. Later in life, Arlene and Swede took two glorious cruises with family to Alaska and Central America where she proved to us that two weeks without her luggage in a foreign country was "no big deal."
Arlene and Swede were members of Locust Grove Methodist Church and enjoyed gathering with neighbors to play cards and to visit. Throughout her life, she enjoyed gardening, genealogy, cooking, helping Swede in the beanfield, crosswords, and introducing farm skills (like hanging clothes on the line and shelling garden peas) to her grandchildren, Dash and Scarlett. Later in life, she earned a Wii bowling championship crown. And her bingo prowess was undeniable.
Arlene's smiling eyes actually twinkled and were a window to her bright soul. Her positivity was ever-present; you could count on Arlene to be "up for anything," while encouraging others to do the same. To know Arlene was to witness optimism and the generosity of simply being a good neighbor. She was approachable and kind, naturally welcoming all who crossed her path. Arlene exercised practicality and was an early recycler—saving tin foil and re-using plastic bags was instinctual. Her creamed corn and butterhorn rolls are legendary. Please enjoy Arlene's pickle recipe—her gift to us all.
Grammy's Candied Pickles
1 quart jar whole dill pickles
1½ cups granulated white sugar
¾ tsp. crushed dried red pepper flakes
Drain all the liquid from the dill pickles. Slice the whole pickles into spears and return them to the empty jar. Add the white sugar and red pepper flakes. Refrigerate and stir often for 1 day before enjoying.
Arlene is preceded in death by her parents, late husbands Allen Saye and Swede Andersen, and sister Dorothy Gartland. She is survived by son Steve Saye (Pam), daughter Shelley Wedergren, Scott Wedergren, "whiz-bang" grandchildren Dash and Scarlett Wedergren, longtime childhood friend Howard Carlson, and Keith and Karen Hartz.
Born on September 7, 1930 to Howard and Lillie Blank, Ruth Arlene Blank grew up on a farm east of Shenandoah, Iowa along with her sister, Dorothy. Arlene enjoyed school and had her own row in the family garden, where she would pick and "accidently" eat all the carrots before returning to the farmhouse. She didn't mind that many of her dresses were made from flour sacks because, "We were all poor back then." Arlene attended Coin Consolidated school and upon a fortune-teller's advice to her father, moved with her parents to Omaha, Nebraska in 1943. Arlene attended Jackson Grade School and graduated from Omaha's Central High School in 1948. She then attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, where she joined Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority and graduated in 1952 with a degree in elementary education. Arlene had a lovely soprano voice; she sang in a college choir quartet and later in life for pleasure.
Arlene married Allen Saye in 1952 and to them a son, Steven, was born. Arlene began teaching school in southwest Iowa and also helped out in the family's meat locker business in Northboro. Throughout her life she was known in the family as an expert on pork chops and beef roasts. After Allen's death, Arlene married Charles "Swede" Andersen in 1964 and to this marriage their daughter, Shelley, was born. Arlene taught elementary school in Riverton and Shenandoah, IA, with a special focus in reading for 30 years until her retirement in 1997. In 2010 after 46 years of marriage and upon Swede's death, Arlene and her sister moved to Omaha to live closer to Steve and Shelley. She lovingly cared for Dorothy until her sister's passing. Arlene peacefully passed away at Pacific Springs Village in Omaha on November 16, 2022, age 92, from complications of liver and heart disease.
We remember Arlene's smile, her warmth, and her deep love for children—hundreds of students over the years. They benefited from her patience and encouragement as she taught even the most challenged how to read. Outside the classroom, she imparted to us that worrying was a waste of time and that complaining didn't get you very far. Arlene had a great knowledge of antiques and enjoyed refinishing them for her home. She fancied local cultural offerings, including the Mule Barn Theater in Tarkio, antique shows, visits to the Iowa State Fair, and touring all corners of the state of Iowa for family trips. Travels to Hawaii, Scandinavia, Costa Rica, and many other parts of the U.S. were also logged. Later in life, Arlene and Swede took two glorious cruises with family to Alaska and Central America where she proved to us that two weeks without her luggage in a foreign country was "no big deal."
Arlene and Swede were members of Locust Grove Methodist Church and enjoyed gathering with neighbors to play cards and to visit. Throughout her life, she enjoyed gardening, genealogy, cooking, helping Swede in the beanfield, crosswords, and introducing farm skills (like hanging clothes on the line and shelling garden peas) to her grandchildren, Dash and Scarlett. Later in life, she earned a Wii bowling championship crown. And her bingo prowess was undeniable.
Arlene's smiling eyes actually twinkled and were a window to her bright soul. Her positivity was ever-present; you could count on Arlene to be "up for anything," while encouraging others to do the same. To know Arlene was to witness optimism and the generosity of simply being a good neighbor. She was approachable and kind, naturally welcoming all who crossed her path. Arlene exercised practicality and was an early recycler—saving tin foil and re-using plastic bags was instinctual. Her creamed corn and butterhorn rolls are legendary. Please enjoy Arlene's pickle recipe—her gift to us all.
Grammy's Candied Pickles
1 quart jar whole dill pickles
1½ cups granulated white sugar
¾ tsp. crushed dried red pepper flakes
Drain all the liquid from the dill pickles. Slice the whole pickles into spears and return them to the empty jar. Add the white sugar and red pepper flakes. Refrigerate and stir often for 1 day before enjoying.
Arlene is preceded in death by her parents, late husbands Allen Saye and Swede Andersen, and sister Dorothy Gartland. She is survived by son Steve Saye (Pam), daughter Shelley Wedergren, Scott Wedergren, "whiz-bang" grandchildren Dash and Scarlett Wedergren, longtime childhood friend Howard Carlson, and Keith and Karen Hartz.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
