Arlene Elsie Siewert was born on January 6, 1941 to Leroy and Elsie (Erdman) McFarland in Hettinger, North Dakota. She attended Ellingson school and graduated from Hettinger High School with honors in 1958. She also attended Black Hills Teacher’s College for one year. Arlene married Manley Siewert on September 12, 1959 and to this union three sons were born; Delroy, Daluss, and Dalynn. Arlene loved gardening and working with livestock. She once bottle-fed and raised a buffalo calf that had been rejected by its mother. An accomplished seamstress, she made clothes for herself and her family. One of the things she enjoyed most was teaching her 4H club boys’ how to cook. Over the 10 years she was a leader, she taught 25 boys. She was the leader of the ladies church group in Scranton, North Dakota and in Hot Springs, South Dakota.
One year Arlene made suckers for the boys’ junior class to sell at games as a fundraiser. They were so popular that she continued making them for the next 20 years. She added Kuchen, Lefse, Pizzelles, and choke cherry jelly to her repertoire and began selling these items at craft sales. Her Kuchen was in great demand and one season she made 1500 Kuchen! Her choke cherry jelly went all across the nation and was even shipped to two countries overseas.
After moving to Hot Springs, South Dakota, she and her husband became Mountain Man Nut and Fruit distributers which kept her busy in her retirement years. Arlene was also an avid journal keeper. She documented everything from major events to everyday happenings at the end of each day and had quite the collection of notebooks!
Arlene’s greatest loves were her Savior, her family, and her many friends. Fellowshipping with all of the above brought her much joy.
Arlene has been a resident at Weston County Manor in Newcastle, Wyoming since January 26, 2021. She passed away on June 2, 2021.
Survivors include her husband of 61 years, Manley Siewert, her sons and daughters-in-law, Delroy and Cindy, Daluss and Lynette, and Dalynn and Tammy; eleven grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. Preceding her in death were her parents and her brother, Eugene McFarland.