Malene "Malinda" Larsdotter (Vara) Arntz/Arnevik (1833-1922)

VARA, ARNEVIK, ARNEVIG, ARNTZ, THOMPSON, JONDAHL, JONDALL, CHADER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 11/2/2012 at 17:32:20

From Slater News March 22, 1922

Mrs. Malinda Arntz was born near Stavanger, Norway, December 2, 1833, where she spent her childhood days and grew to womanhood. At the age of nineteen she was united in marriage to Mr. A. Thompson and together they immediately set sail for America. Shortly after having landed on the American shores, here husband, with hundreds of others, fell victum to that dreaded disease, cholera. This left her a widow with an infant child to care for. These were the darkest days in her unusually long and busy career, days that memory could not blot out. With the horrible cholera days over, she and her infant child set their course westward, landing in Crawford County, Wisconsin.

In April, 1855, she was married to Mr. S. Arntz and two years later they moved to Iowa and located on a farm in Palestine township, southeast of what is now the town of Huxley. Here they reared a family and continued to live till death called Mr. Arntz in 1891. Again she was left a widow. She continued to make the farm her home till fourteen years ago, when she moved to Slater. To the second union was born nine children, of who four sons and two daughters are living. They are Andrew of Kenmare, North Dakota; Lew of Des Moines, Albert of Goodrich, Minnesota and Sam of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The daughters are Mrs. Belle Jondahl and Mrs. Louse Chader of Slater. She is also survived by nine grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. Besides rearing her own family, she also brought up three of her grandchildren, who were left orphans in infancy.
Deceased was in every way a most wonderful woman, with a heart that reached out to everybody in need or in trouble and her long life was truly one of service and self-sacrifice. Her home was always open to the sick and needy and she never turned a deaf ear to anyone, even the most despised tramp found a handout at her door. Of her earthy substance she contributed freely to the church, as well as benevolent institutions according to her means. She was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church. To those who knew her during her long life she was a living testimony for her Master, who said "that which ye have done unto one of these little ones ye have done unto me".

She passed away on Friday, March 10th, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. A. A. Chader, where she had been staying the past eight or nine years, at the advanced age of 88 years, 3 months and 3 days.

SUBMITTER'S NOTE: "Mr. S. Arntz" is Simon Trondsson Arnevik aka Arnevig aka Arntz.