Arlene O. Wolfgang
October 13, 1921 ~ August 21, 2016 (age 94) 94 Years OldShare using:
Arlene O. Wolfgang, formerly from Mill Street in Catawissa, passed away Sunday afternoon, August 21st at the home of her daughter, Bonnie in Scottsdale, Arizona just seven weeks short of her 95th birthday. She will be remembered by hundreds, perhaps thousands who knew of her and her husband, Ralph, “Mr. Music” of Catawissa High School and Southern Area High School.
Arlene was born and raised with four brothers in Manheim, Pa. She graduated Valedictorian in 1939 from Manheim High School and went to Washington D.C. to be part of the World War II effort and worked at the Veteran’s Administration.
She was married on her birthday, October 13th, 1943 to Ralph, a musician in the Army Air Force Band at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After the war, they moved to Catawissa and raised four children: Bonnie, Rick, Randy, and Ron. She was active in Church, teaching children’s Sunday School Class, a Den Mother for Cub Scouts, assistant in Girl Scouts and she belonged to the Delta Society, the Garden Club and was active in the general fabric of Catawissa life. Perhaps, she was most remembered by her beautiful smile and the warmest, sweetest, most gracious hostess to all of the parents of Ralph’s students for almost 60 years.
Arlene and Ralph were campers and travelers taking them through the United States and especially Cape Cod. Later still, they traveled to Europe with the performing orchestra aboard several cruise liners.
After Ralph died in May of 2006, severing a marital bond of 62 years, Arlene, then 88, traveled with daughter, Bonnie on a River Cruise down the Danube taking them through the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria and Hungary. She started spending winters in Arizona and finally decided to live there full time in 2013 to be cared for by her daughter, Bonnie.
Arlene is survived by her four children, Bonnie, Rick and wife, Karen, Randy and wife, Nina, and Ron. She has 13 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, 2 sister-in-laws, Doris Obetz of Lancaster, Pa. and Anne-Lise Obetz of Riverside, California as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Arlene’s services will be Saturday August 27, 2016 at 10:30 am at Christ United Lutheran Church, 116 Church Street, Catawissa with Pastor Melody Sell officiating. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery. Family will receive friends at the church from 9:30 am until time to service. She will be interned next to her husband of 62 years, Ralph E. Wolfgang. We welcome all friends and neighbors, and former students of Ralph to the services of the day. We will deeply miss our dear Mother, Arlene, the shining light in our lives for so long. May her light continue to shine on all of us!
Family and friends may send online condolences to allenrhornefuneralhome.com. The Allen R. Horne Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 193 McIntyre Road, Catawissa is handling arrangements.