Arlene Bygness

Arlene Bygness passed away at age 85 on Feb. 4, 2014, at the home of her daughter, Ruth, and son-in-law, Ron, in San Diego, Calif., following a brief hospitalization for an aortic dissection. Arlene was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Don, who passed away on Dec. 28, 2012. She was born on a farm in Emmet County, Iowa in 1928, the daughter of Lewis and Isabelle Valen. Arlene was a loving mother of three children: Ron (Janie) of Minneapolis, Rich of Humboldt, Iowa, and Ruth (Ron) of San Diego, Calif., and Backus, Minn. A proud graduate of Waldorf College (Forest City, Iowa), Arlene often recounted her experiences with the Waldorf choir and its memorable 1948 trip to New York City. She also faithfully recorded the Bygness family travels throughout the Midwest, especially the annual summer camping trips to Leech Lake in Northern Minnesota. Don and Arlene also enjoyed travels to Norway, Switzerland, England, the Bahamas, and Hawaii. She especially enjoyed "living by the lake" on Spirit Lake (Iowa) and Birch Lake (Minnesota), where she was an ardent crafter including beautiful hardanger. Don and Arlene were actively retired in Northern Minnesota and Phoenix, Ariz., for 27 years. Arlene was preceded in death by her parents, Lewis and Isabelle, and brothers Robert and LuVerne, and sister Shirley; she is survived by a brother, Jim Valen of Spirit Lake, Iowa. Arlene saw many changes in her lifetime and embraced and enjoyed all of them. Memorial service Feb. 21, 2014, 10:30 a.m., St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Hackensack, Minn. Inurnment at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery, Camp Ripley, Minn. Memorials preferred to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Hackensack, Minn.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brenny Funeral Chapel in Pequot Lakes, MN.