Ites, Arla M. (1931-2012)

ITES, JOHNSON, BALVANCE, BADER, CARSTENS

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 9/30/2012 at 18:18:59

Arla M. Ites
(December 23, 1931 - September 5, 2012)

Arla Ites, age 80, of Buffalo Center, passed away Wednesday, September 5, 2012, at the Mayo Hospital in Albert Lea, Minnesota. She watched the sunrise that morning in her new heavenly home after suffering a sudden heart attack at her earthly abode.

A Christmas baby, Arla Mildred Johnson was born to Jake and Ruth Balvance Johnson on December 23, 1931, in Buffalo Center, the youngest of three children. She attended Grant #4 Country School south of town and later graduated from Buffalo Center High School with the class of 1949. In 1947, she joined the First Reformed Church in Buffalo Center. Following her high school graduation, she took her first job at the soil conservation office in Thompson where she worked for nine years.

On June 30, 1959, Arla Johnson married Marvin Ites at the First Reformed Church in Buffalo Center. They lived briefly in town before moving to a farm southeast of Buffalo Center where they raised their two children, Duane (1961) and Karen (1964). Arla enjoyed her role as mother and farm wife. She and Marvin specialized in the typical Iowa commodities: hogs, cows, chickens, and various crops. They also enjoyed the time they spent with friends and family. Her children have fond memories of the men’s quartet rehearsing in their living room! Marvin sang and Arla accompanied. Arla also sang many duets with Marvin as well as hymns in the church choir. Duane and Karen remember the card club friends and the playful antics of their parents in their joyful Christian home.

In 1972, Marvin passed away suddenly at age 50 while working on the farm. Life changed drastically as the kids' grandma, Ruth Johnson, moved in to help keep house for the family. Arla told her brother “as long as grandma and the kids get along, we want grandma to stay with us.” She remained with their family from that day until her death at the age of 93 in 1999.

In 1979, Arla became a “working mother,” taking a job as a typesetter with the Buffalo Center Tribune. She remained at the local paper through the technological addition and learned to proof read like no other! After retiring from the newspaper staff in 2002, she enjoyed staying at home. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren, having coffee with her brother, Don, and especially celebrating all holidays with sit down dinners, arguments about what programs to watch on her one TV, games of Lincoln logs and checkers, and batches of wonderful varieties of homemade fudge. She and her family recently celebrated Labor Day weekend all together in Spirit Lake.

Arla M. Ites was preceded in death by her parents, Jake and Ruth Johnson; her husband, Marvin; her sister, Dorothy Johnson Bader; her brother-in-law, Bob Bader; and her niece, Diana Bader.

Those left cherishing her love, legacy, and fond memories include her son, Duane (Sally) Ites, of Spirit Lake, Iowa; her daughter, Karen (Duane) Carstens, of Hampton, Iowa; her grandchildren: Andrew and Carly Ites and Chris and Stephanie Carstens; her brother, Don (Crystal) Johnson; her niece Sheryl Johnson; her nephew, Eldon Johnson; and her aunt, Edna Balvance, as well as several cousins.

Services will be held at 2:00 PM, Sunday, September 9, 2012, at the First Reformed Church in Buffalo Center with Pastor Bill Peake officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at Olena Mound Cemetery in Buffalo Center.

Copyright © 2012, Winter Funeral Home and Cremation Service

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