Arlene Emily Lafrentz

Arlene E. Lafrentz age 80 of Wood Lake, MN died at her home on Friday, September 18, 2015. The funeral service will be held 11:00 AM Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wood Lake. Visitation will be held from 5:00 until 8:00 PM Tuesday, September 22, 2015, with a prayer service at 7:30 PM, at the Sunset Funeral Home in Echo, MN. Interment will be in the St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery, after the luncheon, which will be served immediately following the service. The Sunset Funeral & Cremation Association of Echo is handling the arrangements. Arlene Emily Lafrentz was born April 18, 1935 to Louis and Emilie (Hempel) Gabbert on the family farm near Wood Lake, MN. She was baptized on May 19, 1935 and confirmed on May 9, 1948 at St. John’s Lutheran church and attended St. John’s Lutheran School, graduating from Wood Lake High School in 1952. On November 3, 1953 Arlene married Milo G. Lafrentz in South Dakota and they made their home in Wood Lake. She was a stay at home mom and a homemaker until 1971, when she took a part-time job as a bookkeeper at the Wood Lake Lumber Yard. Arlene then took a position as a clerk at the Wood Lake Post Office, where she worked over the next twenty years, retiring as Postmaster in the mid 1990’s. Arlene was a kid at heart with a good sense of humor. She loved Beanie Babies, dolls, black jelly beans, Tootsie Pops and the Wood Lake fair. She chaired the Kiddie Parade Committee for many years. She was an excellent seamstress and an avid crafter, who was able to make something out of anything. She was a member of Birthday Club, Homemakers Club and TOPS, where she currently was serving as treasurer. Arlene was also a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wood Lake. She was a proud supporter of her community her entire life and involved in several civic activities. She was honored to have been selected to design the City of Wood Lake flag. In recent years, Arlene enjoyed gallivanting with her lady friends to area events, playing cards at the community center, going to the casino and attending her great grandchildren’s church and school activities. Her church home and family were important to her. After her husband’s death in 1999, Arlene continued to live in her current home, where she died, Friday, September 18, 2015 at the age of 80. Arlene is survived by her two daughters, Julie Ellingson of St. Paul, MN and Amy (Bruce) Hoepner of Echo, MN; one son, Marty Lafrentz of Willmar, MN; three grandchildren, Laura (Andrew) Zuleger, Eric Ellingson and Andrea (Joe) Zieba; four great grandchildren, Caleb Nelson, Jaxon Zuleger, Cora Zuleger and Henry Zieba; one brother, James (Janice) Gabbert of Montevideo, MN; two sisters-in-law, Ethel Gabbert of Wood Lake, MN and Beverly Gabbert of Newport WA; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Her husband, Milo, her parents, Louis and Emilie, two brothers, Louis Jr. and David Gabbert and two sisters, Ione Nydahl and Mary Ann Just preceded her in death. Blessed be her memory.