Arlene B. Blaess, age 85, of Harmony, Minn., formerly of Burr Oak, Iowa and Canton, Minn., died Sunday, January 1, 2023, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.
Arlene was born in Ossian, Iowa, to Selmer and Alice (Barnes) Reinertson. She attended country school and Bethany Lutheran Church. On July 31, 1959, she was united in marriage to Darold Blaess at Bethany Lutheran. They raised three children: Mark, Mike, and Robin. They had lived in Burr Oak and later Canton, before recently moving to Harmony. Arlene had been a cook at the Home Café in Mabel and was a long-time employee at Wapsi Produce in Decorah. She enjoyed cooking, raising chickens, and she especially enjoyed her family.
Arlene is survived by her husband Darold of Harmony, her children Mike (Kim) of Burr Oak, Iowa, and Robin Holstad of Boise, Idaho; daughter-in-law Sue Blaess, grandchildren Brandon, Melissa, Brett, Molly, Benjamin, Jessica, Jordan, Cole, Krystal, Jeremy, Kaitlyn, and Justin; great-grandchildren Riley, Clara, Daphne, Ayla, and Zya; and brothers Shorty (Lorretta), David (Donna), Lyle (Gladys), Carmen (Sandra), Randy (Elizabeth), and Roy (Judy); and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a son, Mark; a brother, Kenneth and his wife Ruth; and a sister, Lorraine Harrington.
Visitation will be 4-7 p.m., Saturday, January 14 at the Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel.