Arlene Schaefer

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00 Noon, Saturday, April 26, 2014 at St. John Cantius Catholic Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota for Arlene K. Schaefer, 87, of St. Cloud, who passed away on December 28, 2013 in Soldotna, Alaska. Reverend Thomas Knoblach will officiate. Inurnment will be at a later date at Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud.
Visitation will be from 11:00 AM – 12:00 noon at St. John Cantius Catholic church in St. Cloud. Arrangements are with the Daniel Funeral Home, St. Cloud.
Arlene was born to John Ferdinand and Ida Mary (Seifert) Kosel October 29, 1926 in Morrill, Minnesota. Arlene grew up on a farm outside of St. Joseph, Minnesota, where she attended Fischer Hill District 742 Elementary School and St. Benedict’s High School. Arlene raised three sons as a single mother in the 50’s. Her oldest son, Thomas, was disabled by muscular dystrophy and passed away at the age of 19 in April of 1965. Arlene enjoyed life. She liked being with people who were having a good time and was always willing to be the hostess for holiday celebrations and special occasions for family and friends. She enjoyed a special friendship with Don Becker and his family. Her favorite pastimes were bowling, playing cards, ice fishing and following the Minnesota Vikings. She traveled to Mexico, Africa and United states. Arlene worked for more than forty years as a dental technician at Thole Dental Labs. She always remembered the Thole family fondly. After her retirement she used her beautiful penmanship to continue working at Aria Communications until 2004. For the last five years she lived with her son, Kenneth, and his wife, Carolyn, in Soldotna, Alaska. She never tired of seeing the moose through the window eating from the bird feeders.
Arlene is survived by her sons; Kenneth (Carolyn) Schaefer of Soldotna, Alaska, Daniel Schaefer of Austin, Texas, sister Mary Baker of Kimball, Minnesota, brother; Robert (Butch) Kosel of St. Cloud, Minnesota, sister-in-law, Charlene Kosel of Madison, Wisconsin, grandson; Aaron Goman of Austin, Texas, and granddaughters Jesse Schaefer and Melissa Schaefer both of Portland, Oregon. She was blessed to meet her great granddaughter, Elsa, in the spring of 2013.
She was preceded in death by her parents, son Thomas, sisters LaVerne and Doris, and brother, John Kosel.
Memorials may be sent to The Thomas Schaefer Fund, St. John Cantius Church, 1515 North 3rd Street St. Cloud, Minnesota 56303-4517. This money will go to needy families with a disabled child within the parish.