Memorial
Arlene Menning Brown, 87, of Marion, passed away January 28, 2023. Visitation: 9:30 – 11:00 AM, Monday, February 6, 2023, at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids. Memorial Service: 11:00 AM, Monday, February 6, 2023, at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids. A livestream of the memorial service may be accessed on the church Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stmarkscedarrapids. Private Inurnment: Woodlawn Cemetery in Oelwein. Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Arlene was born on February 7, 1935, on a farm north of Newkirk, Iowa, the daughter of Simon R. and Dena (Te Grotenhuis) Menning. She graduated from Newkirk High School in 1952. She married Clarence Blunck in November of 1953. Four children were born to this union, Rodney Lee, Denise Renee, Jeffrey Allen, and Paul Wesley. They were later divorced. Arlene was united in marriage to Carroll Dale Brown on December 30, 1978, in Giard, Iowa. She worked as a clerk at a dime store in Sheldon, Iowa. While in Galveston, Texas, Arlene was secretary to the Superintendent of School Services at UTMB. For about twenty years, she worked as a Certified Nurse’s Aide, first in Fayette County, and later for St. Luke’s Home Health Care in Cedar Rapids, retiring November 2006. For Arlene, her family always came first. While in Galveston, Texas, she loved to walk the beaches looking for seashells. She also enjoyed crocheting, and after learning to Tat, that was her main activity to pass time. Her family, particularly her grandchildren, were very special to her. Arlene always had a book of pictures in her purse, and she would get that out to show people whether they wanted to look or not. She was a member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids.
Survivors include her husband of forty four years Carroll of Marion, one son Rod (Jan) Blunck of Pella, one daughter Denise (Rod) Matthews of Dubuque, step-son David Brown of Cedar Rapids, two sisters-in-law Regina Fineran and Sharon Brown both of Northfield Minnesota, eight grandchildren Megan (Peter) Boerema of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Nathan Blunck of Pella, Amy Blunck Olsen of Pella, Ian (Stephanie) Matthews of Grand Rapids, MI, Joy (Zach) Byard of Scranton, PA, Paul Matthews of Chicago, IL, Travis (Kimberly) Blunck currently in the U.S. Army stationed in Hawaii, and Kyle (Breanna) Blunck of Columbus, NE, eleven great grandchildren Anna, Ashleigh, and James Boerema, Adaline Blunck, Betsy and Everett Matthews, Emma Byard, Kaylee and Parker Blunck, and Annabelle and Charlotte Blunck.
Preceding her in death were her parents, parents in-law Dale & Mabel Brown, two sons Paul Brown and Jeff Blunck, one grandson Adam Blunck, four brothers Harold Menning, Virgil Menning, Norman Menning, and Marion Menning, and four sisters Esther Boone, Evelyn Brink, Sylvia Hornsby, and Eunice Scholten.
Memorials may be directed to the family. Charitable contributions will be designated by the family at a later date.