Arlene Bailey

Arlene D. Bailey, age 87 of Sauk Centre, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 13, 2022, Minnewaska Lutheran Home in Starbuck, Minnesota.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 17 at Zion Lutheran Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Marty Porter officiating. Interment will be Greenwood Cemetery in Sauk Centre.

Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church.

Arlene Delores Wiener was born November 6, 1934 in Sauk Centre, MN to parents Mathias “Matt” and Esther (Quade) Wiener. She was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Sauk Centre. She graduated from Sauk Centre High school in 1953.  On November 12, 1953 she married Donald John Bailey at Zion Lutheran church in Sauk Centre.  After serving his time in the Army, Donald, Arlene, and Jeanne moved to Fairview Farm in Ashley Township.  They farmed together for many years.  Arlene was a lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church.  She was involved in Ladies Aid, Rebekah’s Circle, and Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.  In 1987 Arlene was a founding member of the Sauk Centre Area Historical Society.  She was a member for over 30 years and enjoyed doing research on the history of Sauk Centre and Stearns County. This included research for local author Ivy Hildebrand, who wrote “Sauk Centre the Story of a Frontier Town” and she proof read the book “Tales From A Pioneer Town” by Adrian Lee.  She also gave tours of the Pioneer Cemetery in Sauk Centre.  Arlene enjoyed cake decorating, calligraphy, perennial and rock gardens, antique collecting, and playing the piano.  Other interests included, loon counting for the state of MN, theme planning for church Harvest Festivals, family geneology, and organizing family reunions.

She is survived by her children, Jeanne Massoletti, Jeffrey (Brenda) Bailey, Suzanne (Stan) Shefveland, Julie (Allen) Monroe, and Gwen Bailey (Wayne Bitz); son-in-law, Peter (Susan) Laing; grandchildren, Danielle (Tim) Kelm, Jeremy Smelter, Jared (Karlee) Bailey, Justine Bailey, Katie Monroe, Brenna Monroe, Noah (Keira) Bitz, Joshua Bitz, and Savannah Studniski; great grandchildren, Kylie, Davis, and James Kelm, Rozlyn and Korbyn Bailey; brother, Dwayne “Skeeter” Weiner; in-laws, James (Gloria) Bailey, Jane Bailey, Barbara Wiegers, and Shirley Weiner.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Bailey in 2009; daughter, Lisa Laing; parents, Mathias and Esther Wiener; infant grandson, Nathaneal Laing; granddaughter Laura Monroe; brothers, Arthur “Bud” Weiner and Merlin Weiner; sisters in-law, Glee Weiner, Alta Weiner, Lois Pischke, and Martha Bailey; and brothers-in-law, Paul Pischke, Arthur Bailey, Haven Wiegers, and David Bailey.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Zion Lutheran Church and Sauk Centre History Museum and Research Center.