The funeral for Lowell E. Arends, 87, of rural Hayfield, will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at South Zumbro Lutheran Church in rural Kasson with the Rev. Mark Schwartz officiating. Burial will be in East St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetery in Rock Dell.
Mr. Arends died Friday, May 8, 2009, of natural causes following a lengthy illness at the Stewartville Care Center, where he had resided since February of this year.
Lowell Edward Arends was born June 27, 1921, in Blue Earth. He grew up on a farm in rural Wells and attended country school and Wells High School. He worked on the family farm and moved with his family in 1948 to a farm in Rock Dell Township in rural Hayfield. He was married on June 5, 1949, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lyle to Marlys J. Baldner. Following their marriage the couple moved to the Arends family farm where they built their own home, farmed for many years and have lived for 60 years. Mr. Arends also was a self-employed grain dryer serviceman for 11 years. Mrs. Arends has been employed as a bookkeeper and secretary at the Rock Dell Creamery since 1959. Mr. Arends is a member of South Zumbro Lutheran Church. He was a past member of East St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Rock Dell where he served as its council president and Sunday school superintendent. He enjoyed fishing, traveling, music and square dancing, woodworking and carving and time spent with his family.
Survivors include his wife, Marlys; a daughter, Barbara (James) Nelson of Hayfield; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a brother, Caroll Arends of Albert Lea; and a sister-in-law, Norma Arends of Hayfield. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Mabel (Larson) Arends; a daughter, Nancy and her husband Dennis Sutton; two sisters: Delores and Betty; and a brother, Orville.
Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at South Zumbro Lutheran Church in rural Kasson and one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday afternoon. The family prefers memorials to the South Zumbro Lutheran Church Building Fund or to the donor’s choice.
Griffin-Gray Funeral Home in Stewartville is in charge of arrangements.