Arlene Kerndt
Arlene K. Kerndt, 91, of Waukon died Saturday, March 25, 2017 at Northgate Care Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 28 at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon, with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Burial was at Lansing Ridge Cemetery, rural Lansing.
Arlene Kathryn Kerndt was born March 11, 1926, the daughter of Benjamin and Flora (Schellhammer) Marti in Makee township in rural Waukon. She was baptized and confirmed at the Congregational Church in Church. Arlene attended rural country schools and graduated from Waukon High School in 1944. After graduation she worked as a secretary at Elmer Pieper law firm in Waukon.
August 15, 1948, she married Willard Kerndt in Church; they farmed together on Willard's family farm running a diversified operation specializing in registered Holstein dairy cattle. Arlene was always busy raising her family and helping neighbors. She also worked as a nurse’s aide at Northgate Care Center in Waukon.
She was an accomplished seamstress, enjoyed embroidery work in later years, working in her big vegetable and flower garden, canning and freezing her produce. Arlene was an excellent cook and baker, she loved to treat her family to their favorite dishes. Throughout her life she remained an active member of the Congregational Church where she was the organist, taught Sunday school, and was very active in ladies group.
Willard and Arlene became members of the First Presbyterian Church in Waukon in 1966 when the two churches merged, where she was active in ladies circle. In their later years they became more involved in mission work making several trips to Haiti and Venezuela. Arlene and Willard also had many opportunities to travel across the United States and throughout the world for leisure.
Some of Arlene’s favorite past times were square dancing with Willard, playing cards with family and friends, and attending community events. She and Willard enjoyed spending time with grandchildren and getting them involved in the activities on the farm when they were visiting in the summer.
Survivors include her children: Roger (Claudia) of Clive, Cheryl (Terry) VanOort of Ankeny, Lee (Deb) of Pella, Sheila (Steve) Scheib of Cedar Rapids, Sandy (Jim) Carlson of Grimes and Gary (Craig White) of Lansing; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; a brother, Harold (Shirley) Marti of Lansing; and a brother-in-law, Leslie (Ada Marie) Kerndt of Waukon. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Willard, who died in 2013; and her father and mother-in-law, Leslie and Irene Kerndt.
Casketbearers were Heidi Leavengood, Jason Kerndt, Sarah Brown, John VanOort, Cory and Adam Kerndt, Kara Goslin, Jon Scheib, Abby Brown, and Luke and Emily Carlson.
Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
