Arlis Werner

ARLIS LORRAINE PEDERSEN WERNER...

was born on a farm west of Ruthton, Minnesota in Aetna Township on March 23, 1933 to Chris B. and Etta C. (Aaker) Pedersen. She was baptized at home on May 14, 1933. She moved with her family to a farm north of Pipestone, Minnesota in Fountain Prairie Township on March 1, 1937 and lived on that farm for several years. She was confirmed on May 25, 1947 at First Lutheran Church in Pipestone. She attended rural school district #60 through the eighth grade and graduated from Pipestone High School in 1951. She had to meet the school bus at the south corner all during her high school years. She attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She taught at Beaver Creek, Minnesota for one year. On July 25, 1954, she was united in marriage to Donald D. Werner at First Lutheran Church in Pipestone. They lived in Pipestone a few months before moving to the farm in Fountain Prairie Township. She then taught in rural school district #18 in Pipestone County. She thought this was a privilege, as rural schools were closed after that. She did substitute teaching in the Pipestone School District #583 from 1967 to 1994. She also did school census work for years. She started working as a tour director for Southwest Tours in Marshall, Minnesota from 1984 to 1992, most of the time working on the same coach her husband was driving. She continued working part time for them thru 1999. She has been in all 50 states, as well as all Canadian Provinces except Newfoundland. She and her husband have also traveled to Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

She has been a member of First Lutheran Church since 1937. In her earlier years, she taught Sunday school for years and served in various positions for the First Lutheran Church Women. She is a member of the Love Circle. For many years, she and her husband enjoyed spending their winter in Arizona. Her family was first and foremost in her life. She is thankful to God for the gift of eternal life.

The summer of 2004, she was diagnosed as having Parkinson's disease. On January 12, 2009, she became a resident at Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone where she died on Sunday, August 11, 2013 at the age of 80 years, four months and 19 days.

Grateful for having shared her life are her husband of 59 years, Donald Werner of Pipestone, Minnesota and her three children, Lynette and her husband Rick Ray of Montevideo, Minnesota, David and his wife Linda Werner of Little Canada, Minnesota and Steven and his wife Rae Werner of Pipestone, Minnesota; grandchildren, Thomas, Shane and Tyler Ray, Brian and Jason Werner, Dusti, Jeff and Shelly Werner; one great-grandson, Grant Ray; one brother, Harold and his wife Pat Pedersen of Cambridge, Minnesota; and three nephews, Terry, Todd and Travis Pedersen. She is preceded in death by her sister, Leotta J. Pedersen who died in May, 1943; her mother, Etta Pedersen who died in September, 1954; and her father, Chris B. Pedersen who died in November, 1992.

Memorials preferred to First Lutheran Building Fund - Principal or Augustana College.