Arlene Phyllis Werth, age 90 of Markesan, passed away on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at ThedaCare Medical Center in Berlin.

Visitation for Arlene will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at St. John's Lutheran Church, 65 W. Catherine St., Markesan, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Jason Jobs officiating. Burial will take place at Tichora Cemetery in the town of Mackford.

Arlene (Buchholz) Werth was born to George and Laura (Dahlke) Buchholz September 4, 1929.  Her "growing up" years were spent in Kingston, WI on the south shore of Grand Lake with her parents, sisters Lauretta and Donna and brother George Jr.  Her Dad ran a general store in town where she helped out and sharpened her math skills as she totaled customer orders in her head.  She would pridefully make an itemized written sales ticket for those who doubted her calculation.  They would discover she was always correct and that her handwriting was impeccable.  Arlene was schooled mostly in Kingston and graduated from the "new" district high school in Markesan. She continued her formal schooling at Oshkosh Normal School to become an elementary school teacher.  She then taught in Horicon for several years.  Her summer college savings job was as a bookkeeper in the plant office at Fall River Canning in Markesan.  One day a young man named Kenny churned through the office hoping to solve problems in the warehouse before that day's pack started.  She was smitten with his manner and ambition and decided then that she would marry that man.  She did.  Kenny and Arlene raised their family of six children in a home filled with laughter and high expectations.  Get up, get out and get it done well was pretty much the rule.  Telling Mom you "didn't feel good" in the morning on a school day meant laying in bed till the next morning, hence, her kids had numerous certificates for perfect attendance. The Ken and Arlene Werth family was always the last one into the church on Sunday and often the last to leave.  The church bell would ring as the sixth kid ran down the aisle.  Family, church, and faith were paramount.

Arlene was rock steady and a leader by example.  Teaching, leading 4H, serving as a school board member, and participating in various local clubs and committees filled her days.  She loved keeping books for Ken's and her son John's endeavors.  Her ability to file forms to various civil institutions in a timely manner kept the wheels turning and on the tracks.  No one got rich but no one went to jail.  Arlene saw to it that Ken always looked well tailored heading out for business. Ken traveled a lot and Arlene held down the fort when he was away. Her many Grand kids loved going to Grandma's if for no other reason than to lay on her den floor and nap.  She was really good at making them all feel special, welcomed, and loved.   She would not curse and was precise in her grammar.  She was quick with a laugh and didn't mind being ribbed and reminded of past family drama(s).  Arlene passed time indoors doing various needle work; her crafting precision was enviable. She loved bridge night with her lady friends.  She always played to win.

In her early years growing up on the pond, Arlene learned the intricacies of cane pole bobber fishing with her dad.  She loved a pan full of butter fried bluegill and delighted in catching a meal with her own little children and other family members during frequent visits to "Grandma's" house against the backdrop of her Mom's beautiful garden down by the shore. In midlife and later Arlene pursued halibut fillets and salmon steaks at her son Fred's fish camp in Alaska.  Arlene dreamed of boating a one hundred pounder.  She would kind of bite her lip when at the end of the day somebody else had caught the biggest fish.  Fishing and gardening would always bring joy to her day. She was always anxious to show off her latest orchid bloom.  God's creation was always a cup more than half full to Arlene's way of thinking.   She drank from that cup daily.

Arlene is survived by her children, Suzanne (Keith) Lambrecht, Rebecca (Tom) Wierschem, Christine (Don) Warnke, John (Diana) Werth, Frederick Werth, and Timothy (Gina) Werth; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and further survived by other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Kenny; infant daughter, Elizabeth; infant granddaughter, Julianna; and other relatives.

Cornerstone Funeral & Cremation Services, 181 S. Main St., Markesan, is honored to be serving the family.