Redfield: Fern Arlene Nielson, 87, of Redfield died Friday, Aug. 2, 2013, at Eastern Star Home in Redfield.
Her funeral will be Saturday, Aug. 10, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. The Rev. Brian Wasmoen will officiate.
Burial will be in Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery near Midway, S.D., at 4:30 p.m.
Visitation will be Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Eastern Star Home Chapel, with a pray service at 7 p.m.
Arlene was born on Easter Sunday, April 4, 1926, in Turton, S.D., to Bill and Hattie (Thorson) Spear. Arlene attended Turton Country School and Doland High School.
Arlene married Orlyn Nielson of Yankton County, S.D., on Sept. 28, 1943, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church Parsonage in Redfield. To this 57-year union were born three daughters: Sharon (Johnny) Caruthers of Ocala, Fla.; Janice (Greg) Benning of Brookings; and Peggy Nielson of Rapid City; and one son: Larry (Jeni) Nielson of Tulare.
Arlene accompanied Orlyn to Orlando, Fla., for his basic training for World War II. After her husband was discharged from the service, they farmed in the Frankfort area for 17 years, and then moved to Tulare, where they purchased and operated a farm. They moved off the farm and built a home in Tulare in 1987. They both continued to assist on the farm until Orlyn's death in 2001. She moved to the Doland area after marrying Duane Muxen in 2003. After his death in 2009, she lived in the Peterson-Bahde-Coleman Apartments in Redfield until she moved into the Eastern Star Home in 2012.
She was a charter member of Community Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, the Tulare Legion Auxiliary and the Redfield VFW Auxiliary.
Arlene is survived by four children; 12 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by one brother-in-law and four sisters-in-law: Lemoine and Joyce Jensen of Viborg, S.D.; Olive Learing of Sioux Falls, S.D.; Phyllis Nielson of Viborg; and Joan Nielson of Mission Hill, S.D.
She was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers: infant Floyd, Rolland, Gerald and Berwyn Spear; her two husbands; one son-in-law, Thomas Grimm; one Benning grandson; and two Brancato great-grandchildren.
thelenfuneralhome.com