French, Rosalie Kathryn (Arentson) (1923 – 2024)

FRENCH, ARENTSON, DOONAN, MINEAR, SMITH, FERRERA, NELSON, SCULL, ALLEN

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 6/15/2024 at 17:04:57

Name of deceased: Rosalie Kathryn French (nee Arentson)

Aged: 100 yrs, 7 mo, 16 days

Residence: Elm Crest Retirement Home; Harlan, Shelby County, IA

Born: Sep. 25, 1923; rural Lincoln Township, Shelby Co., IA

Died: May 11, 2024; Elm Crest Retirement Home; Harlan, Shelby County, IA

Funeral services: Saturday, May 25, 2024; First Baptist Church, Harlan, IA; burial was in the Harlan Cemetery, Harlan, IA

Survived by: Children, Judi Doonan of Harlan, IA, John (spouse, Shelly) French of Sun Lakes, AZ, Stan (spouse, Rebecca) French of Eagle, ID, and Dave (spouse, Amy) French of La Jolla, CA; grandchildren, Greg (spouse, Stephanie) Doonan of Polk City, IA, Stace (spouse, Emily) Doonan of Collierville, TN, Travis (spouse, Melissa) French of West Des Moines, IA, Katie (spouse, Cass) Minear of Underwood, IA, Jacob Smith of Council Bluffs, IA, Tracy French (spouse, Will Morris) of West Des Moines, IA, Matt French of Eagle, ID, Makayla Ferrera of Eagle, ID, Camden French of La Jolla, CA, and Emily French of La Jolla, CA; great-grandchildren, Alana Doonan, Mia Doonan, Gavin Doonan, Hudson Doonan, Zoey French, Max French, Dylan Minear, Mason Minear, and Bastien Smith; nieces; nephews; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Martin and Vina (nee Nelson) Arentson; husband, Glenn; sisters, Elaine Scull and Eleanor Allen; brother, Dale Arentson

Education: Attended country school at Lincoln #5, rural Shelby County, IA, and graduated from Harlan (IA) High School, Class of 1941

Religious affiliation: Active member, First Baptist Church, Harlan, IA, where she taught Sunday School classes, sang in the church choirs, and played the piano

Military service: n/a

Marriage: 2nd Lt. Glenn French; Oct. 27, 1944; Bethel Baptist Church, Harlan, IA

Employment: After she graduated from high school, Rosalie worked at the Harlan National Bank for 4 years; after her marriage to Glenn, they moved to his assigned base in Yuma, AZ and she worked on base at the Officer's Personnel office until the war ended in 1945 and Glenn was discharged. They returned to the Arentson family farm in Iowa where they farmed for 13 years. Glenn next had a job in construction in California, so the family headed West. In 1962 the family returned to Harlan, IA where Rosalie helped manage the A & W Drive In which Glenn had built there. There were numerous moves for the next 20 years when Glenn accepted a job managing farm elevators in the Midwest.

Hobbies/Interests: no information provided

Sources: pauleyjones.com; ancestry.com, Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1947