Obituary of Arlene C. Preszler

Preszler, Arlene

                Arlene C. Preszler, age 87 of Menno, SD passed away on Wednesday, May 9, 2019 at Menno-Olivet Care Center in Menno.  Arlene was born on October 4, 1931, near Tripp, SD, to Charley and Mathilda (Guthmiller) Pietz.  She was baptized on February 10, 1932, and confirmed on April 21, 1946, in the Friedens Reformed Church of Tripp, SD.  After graduating from Tripp High School in 1949, Arlene attended Mitchell Business College. She then worked at the Hutchinson County Treasurer’s Office for several years.

                Arlene was united in marriage to Clifford Preszler on May 25, 1954.  Together they farmed east of Menno until moving into town in 1992. They celebrated 56 years of marriage at Clifford’s passing in 2010.

                Many wonderful family meals were enjoyed around Arlene’s dining room table as she was an excellent cook.  Her delicious kuchen was a family favorite which was enjoyed during the holidays. Arlene planted a large vegetable garden each spring and harvested an abundant crop which she canned and was then enjoyed throughout the year -- including many jars of pickles, green beans and tomatoes.

                Arlene especially loved her grandchildren and enjoyed doing many activities with them.  Fond memories include sleepovers, then eating a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, French toast, or Cookie Crisp cereal.  She enjoyed serving them her home-canned peaches, too. They also played endless hours of checkers, Old Maid card games, and the Uncle Wiggily board game together.  Making homemade noodles and fishing for bullheads with grandma and grandpa left a lasting impression on the grandchildren as well. Other activities the grandchildren enjoyed were helping her make cheese pockets -- always making sure they didn’t add too much of the cottage cheese mixture -- and kuchen during Christmas and Easter season.

An important part of family time was making homemade pork sausage each winter and hand-shelling many ears of home-grown popcorn during a blizzard -- which usually resulted in several blisters on our hands.  

Arlene enjoyed a special relationship with her sisters -- especially at family events when their roaring laughter filled the room.  Everyone knew when the Pietz sisters got together!

Another love in Arlene’s life was little dog Elsie.  They enjoyed their many walks around Menno -- keeping each other company.

Arlene passed away peacefully on May 9, 2019, at the Menno-Olivet Care Center surrounded by her family.  Those left to cherish her memory are her children Kay (Phil) Kasten, Parker, SD; Steven (Sheri) Preszler, Menno, SD; grandchildren Christopher (Melissa) Kasten; Erinn (Mike) McGarry all of Parker, SD; Matthew (Jena) Preszler, Vermillion, SD; Caleb (fiancée Abby Hora), Menno, SD; great-grandchildren Jackson and Mason Kasten, Haven Carley, and Abigail McGarry; and a brother Milo (Donna) Pietz of Huron, SD; plus her many nieces and nephews and a host of friends and relatives.

Welcoming Arlene into heaven was her husband Clifford; two great-grandsons Donovan and Liam McGarry, her brothers Emil Pietz and Eugene Pietz; her sisters Laura Stoebner, Nettie Fisher, Hattie Pietz, Luella Herr, Gertrude Jumps and Ruby Luebe.