Obituary of Arlene Wood

Arlene Louise (Berry) Wood passed away on August 6th, 2019, at the Geary Community Hospital, Kansas, at the age of 79.  Arlene was born on the family farm at Madison Creek near Milford, Kansas, on October 19th, 1939.  She was the oldest daughter of Robert and Ruby (Koerner) Berry.  She graduated from Wakefield High School in 1957, where she had been a cheerleader.

On September 5th, 1958, she married Allen Wood.  They had four children:  Mark, David, Lori, and Amanda.  In the early 1960’s, Arlene accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord.  She was very grateful that she was able to take a Navigators Bible memorization course.  She was quite impressed that humans have only two options concerning God:  total belief and surrender to Jesus Christ or total rejection of Him.  1 John 5 was an eye-opening Bible chapter for her.  She taught Sunday School, fixed communion trays, was a deaconess and board member at the Milford Congregational Church for many years.  One Easter, she really enjoyed participating in the production and presentation of Handel’s Messiah.  For several decades, she made it a habit of reading through the Bible each year.

At the age of 27, Arlene got rheumatic fever which damaged her heart valves.  At age 51, she had a severe stroke.  She had to have two open heart surgeries.  Through it all, she felt that if she could live longer, she would be able to continue to serve and enjoy her family, and if she died, she would be with her Lord.  Either way, it was gain for her.  She accepted that if she had to live with pain and medical problems, the Lord would help her.  Less than two months ago, she was diagnosed with colon cancer.  She faced death bravely.  Although she didn’t talk much, she kept her sense of humor to the end.  Just a few weeks before her death, when cancer had decimated her body, she said, “It’s kind of fun to be skinny”.

Arlene loved flowers and planted many in planters on her deck and around her house.  She enjoyed mowing the farmstead.  For many years, she had prolific gardens and canned hundreds of jars of green beans and tomatoes, etc.  She spent many hours baking bread for her family as well.  When she was able, Arlene really enjoyed reading, crocheting, going for walks with friends, exercising at the YMCA, and visiting her children and grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, baby brother David, and sister Jeanette Berry.

She is survived by Allen, her husband of 60 years; her brother William Berry of Bennington; her children Mark (and Lucy) of Colby; David (and Becky) of Cody, Wyoming; Lori Witt of Junction City; and Amanda (and Troy Fitzgeralds) of Abilene.  She will be lovingly remembered by her grandchildren Matthew and Emily Farrant, Andrew and Jenifer Wood, Colton and Danelle Wood, Thomas Mader, Elise and Sonya Ketcher, Bailey, Autumn, and Brady Fitzgeralds.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 10, 2019 at the Milford Congregational Church with Pastor Dirk Westerman officiating.

A memorial may be made to the Milford Congregational Church and left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.