Arlene O'Loughlin

Arlene O’Loughlin, 89, of La Crosse, Wisconsin passed away, Sunday, August 18, 2019. A visitation will be held from 4 – 6 pm, Thursday, August 22 at the Blaschke & Schneider Funeral Home, 1501 West Avenue South, La Crosse, WI. A funeral mass will be celebrated at Mary Mother of the Church, La Crosse, at 10:30 on August 23. She will be interred at the West Union, Iowa cemetery later that day at 3:00 p.m.

Arlene (Minger) O’Loughlin was born on December, 8, 1929 at Wadena, Iowa. She was the third of four children of Glen Minger and Elizabeth (Erickson) Minger.

She married William Francis O’Loughlin on October 8, 1948 at Oelwein, Iowa. From that union came three children: William Francis, Deborah Ann, and Glen James.

Arlene worked at various jobs throughout her life to help support her family; however, her true calling was nursing and helping people. She graduated as a Registered Nurse from Northeast Iowa Community College, Calmar, Iowa, with the assistance of a Good Samaritan Society Academic Scholarship. She became the Director of Nurses at the Good Samaritan Nursing Center at West Union, Iowa, before transferring to the Palmer Lutheran Hospital in West Union. At Palmer Lutheran Hospital she worked with her sister Margie for several years as a floor nurse, surgical scrub nurse and was a Patient Education Coordinator.

Upon retiring Arlene attended the three-year Lay Program from the Archdiocese of Dubuque. She held numerous offices at the Wadena, IA, West Union, IA and the St. Pious of La Crosse, WI parishes and played in the bell choir for the Mary Mother of the Church in La Crosse, WI.

She studied Affiliation of the Franciscan Sisters under Sister Phyllis Ann and joined the Franciscan Affiliates; she enjoyed visiting the Convent and the times she spent in prayer at the Adoration Chapel. Arlene never stopped giving back to her community and helping others. She volunteered several years at the St. Clara Health Mission, R.S.V.P and playing and becoming the band director for the Sweet Note Band. She was known as the neighborhood “Mom” when her children were growing up, she was very active in scouting becoming a Den Mother and Scout Leader.

She is survived by her Daughter Deborah (Bruce) Beneke, Son Glen (Karen) O’Loughlin, Daughter-in-Law Karen Lantz; Eleven Grandchildren: Katrina (Brent) Hamilton, Calista (Justin) McCollough, William Francis and Shaylene O’Loughlin, Jessica (Jamie) Waters, Iliyana Beneke, Crystal Hayes, Jim (Jenn) O’Loughlin, Ben (Courtney) O’Loughlin, Mathew Cooper, and Brandon Cooper; Thirteen Great-Grandchildren: Lizabeth and Charles Waters; Elise and Jack McCullough; Brenna, Jesstina, and Noah Hamilton; Radomir Beneke, William Hayes, and Margaret and Eleanor O’Loughlin, Lukas Soukup, and Kinnick O’Loughlin along with several nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; Husband, William Francis O’Loughlin; Son, William Francis O’Loughlin, JR.; Brothers, Dale and Robert Minger, Sister Marjorie Strudthoff, Grandson Jacob Beneke, Brother-in-Law, William Strudthoff, and Sisters-in-Law Anne Minger and Ollie Minger.

The family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank-you to both Hillview Terrace staff and the Mayo Hospice team for their exceptional care of and loving concern for Arlene.