Arlene E McClelland Obituary (1924

Arlene E. McClelland, age 90 of Eau Claire, died Saturday, January 3, 2015 at her home. Arlene E. Mars was born in rural Spring Brook Township, Dunn County, to Anna E. (Henriksen) and Bert C. Mars. She was raised in the Fall City area with her siblings, Bud C., Dick E., George C. and Vivian I. A real sorrow in her young life was when her eldest brother, Bud Carl, drown in Mud Creek while fishing. Arlene attended Fall City elementary school and later high school in Eau Claire, Menomonie and graduated from Dunn County “Aggie” in 1942. After high school, Arlene worked several jobs in Eau Claire before going to work at the “war plant.” In 1947, Arlene married her brother George’s best friend, Maynard E. McClelland. They were married for 67 years and had two children, Linda A. and Steven Maynard who was born on his father’s birthday. Arlene and Maynard rented several farms until they purchased their own farm in 1959. They lived there for 53 years before they had to sell for health reasons and move to Eau Claire to be near their daughter. Happily, they were able to sell the farm to their grandson. In addition to working on the farm and as a wife and mother, Arlene worked at several jobs. She worked at FabriTech in Amery where she worked on the circuit boards for the first U.S. rocket. She was store manager for 17 years at the Connorsville Co-op Grocery. Arlene was very active in her church and community. She served as Sunday School and Bible School teacher, Sunday School superintendent, Ladies Aid president. She was the first woman to serve on the church council. She was a member of the Connorsville homemaker’s group and enjoyed their many outings and quilting. In her younger years, she loved dancing and roller skating. Later, she liked canning, riding snowmobile, reading and doing word finds. She enjoyed her many vacations with her sister, mother, daughter and niece. Arlene was predeceased by her parents, parents-in-law, all of her siblings and their spouses, a brother-in-law and two sisters-in-law, a nephew and her son, Steven. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Maynard McClelland and her daughter, Linda, both of Eau Claire; a grandson, Anthony (Katrina) of Connorsville; a granddaughter, Julie McClelland-Komorouski (Ryan) of New Richmond, two great-granddaughters, Lillian L. and Theodora M. with a third, Dorothy L. due in May. She is further survived by several brother and sister-in-laws; Donald McClelland (Bonnie Parlow) of Tomah, Virgil and Kate McClelland of Menomonie, Jim and Jean McClelland of Boise, Idaho, Betty and Clifford Lee of Menomonie, numerous beloved nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends she loved like family. Funeral services for Arlene will be on Friday, January 9th at 11:00 at Olson Funeral Home in Menomonie with Pastor Mark Woeltge officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the spring at Waneka Cemetery, Township of Spring Brook, Dunn County. Arlene had a warm and loving personality. She was always happy and smiling and loved everyone around her, especially her family at West Akers. As a friend said, “it is hard to imagine a world without Arlene.”