Arlene E. Meyer, 87, Hartley

Memorial services for Arlene E. Meyer will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, at Hope Lutheran Church in Everly, with Pastor Dan Taylor officiating.

Visitation with the family will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, at Warner Funeral Home in Everly. Interment will be in Lone Tree Cemetery near Everly. Memorials will be directed to the family and will be given to the places that were important to Arlene. Warner Funeral Home is assisting with the arrangements.

Arlene Esta Meyer, the daughter of John C. Schmidt and Lena L. Frick, was born Dec. 2, 1937 on a farm one mile east of Moneta. She attended Moneta Consolidated School and graduated in 1955. Arlene attended Iowa State Teacher's College in Cedar Falls where she received her two-year teaching degree. Her first teaching job was in Terril.

She married Verland "Bud" Meyer, of Everly, on Aug. 3, 1958, and they eventually moved to the Meyer family farm. Arlene taught school in Everly. Once they began their family, Arlene stayed home to raise their children, Lori and Todd, and to help Bud in the fields. Working on the farm was one of her favorite occupations. During the farm crisis in the 1980s, Arlene went back to work as an aide at the Everly school, where she was known as Mrs. M. Over the years she also worked as a substitute teacher at Everly and then Clay Central/Everly schools.

Arlene faithfully attended the same church all her life. She was a baptized and confirmed member of Hope Lutheran Church where she was active in the women's organization, serving in many ways including as president for two terms. She also served as an officer on the ELCA Women's Cluster Board for seven years. She was a member of Martha Circle and the quilting group. Arlene also served on Altar Committee for many years. Arlene enjoyed friendship with a great circle of wonderful women, many of them from church. Together, they loved Sunday lunches and drives after church – many with Bud, and then continuing after Bud passed.

Arlene and Bud loved their Everly community. For many years Arlene wrote for the Everly-Royal News, covering community and school events through a weekly column. She regularly baked her famed tea rings for Everly's Farmers Market and especially loved the Clay County Fair. Arlene was a 4-H leader and member of the Clay County 4-H Committee as well as a member of Waterford Farm Bureau Women. She was also an avid reader.

Arlene's favorite thing in life was her family and spending time with them. Babysitting, playing and camping with the grandchildren created special memories for her and Bud. And being able to spend time with the great-grandchildren was an added blessing. She was the heart of their home and of their family. She would do anything she could to help someone in need, and she provided a caring and loving home for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Friends and family never left the house without a hug and a kiss goodbye.

Arlene passed away on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 at the Community Memorial Assisted Living in Hartley, at the age of 87. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bud; her parents; one brother, Arvin Schmidt; and granddaughter, Molly Brown.

Left to cherish her memory are daughter, Lori (Mark) Brown, of Sheldon; son, Todd (Tracy) Meyer, of Everly; grandchildren: Iesha (Josh) Toft, Colton (Laura) Meyer, Jane (Luke) Pomranky, Kinsey Meyer, Joelle (Jeffrey Ding) Brown and Thomas (Hailey) Brown; great-grandchildren: Liam, Livon, Dorothy and Vera Toft; and Miles, Violet and Jonathan Pomranky.