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Arlys L. Tharp

Arlys L. Tharp

FAIRMONT — A day for celebrating the life of Arlys L. Tharp, 89, of Fairmont, Minn., will be Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont, Minn. There will be a drop-in visitation from 10:30-11:30 a.m., and then a time of celebrating and remembering Arlys with memories, scripture, music and some of Arlys’ favorite foods from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lakeview Funeral Home. The celebration will continue as we make our way to Arlys’ final resting place at the Riverside Cemetery, Madelia, Minn.

Arlys passed away peacefully on Monday afternoon, Jan. 9, 2017, at the Goldfinch Memory Care in Fairmont, Minn.

Lakeview Funeral Home of Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements.

Arlys Lee Bonderman Tharp was born to Paul P. Bonderman and Edna Cornelius Bonderman on Dec. 27, 1927, in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Arlys grew up on a farm in Madelia, Minn., along with brothers Roscoe and Daryl, and sister, Shirley. One of her favorite memories was of riding horses bareback with Shirley, and learning how to ride them while standing on their backs. While in high school, Arlys was active in band, cheerleading and Glee Club. After graduating from Madelia High School in 1946, she headed off to Mankato State Teachers College where she earned a teaching certificate.

Arlys’ first teaching position in 1947 was in a rural one-room schoolhouse in Brown County, with at least one student in each class through 8th grade. This was the school that she had attended as a child and, as part of her contract, was responsible for “janitor work, including the building of fires, sweeping of floors and keeping the schoolroom clean” — for which she did not receive extra pay. Arlys taught another year at a rural school in Blue Earth County and then put her teaching career on hold in 1949 to begin her family.

Arlys had met a tall, handsome 15-year-old Vincent Tharp while he was playing pinball at the drugstore in Madelia. He made a bet with her to go to a movie if he won his game, which he did, and she kept the bargain. After Vince’s stint in the U.S. Navy, they married on March 27, 1948, in Madelia, making their first home on the farm owned by his parents, Fred and Stella Tharp. They also lived on the farm owned by her parents for a couple of years and returned to his parents’ farm where they lived until 1964. It was during their farming years that they built their family, welcoming children Crystal, Cathy, Steven and Jody.

Arlys returned to teaching in 1964, first at St. Mary’s Parochial School in New Ulm, and then at Truman Elementary. She began taking night courses at Mankato State College in 1962; she continued with night courses and summer sessions until she received her bachelor’s in elementary education, with a music minor, graduating on Dec. 17, 1971.

Arlys and Vince made a move to New Hope, Minn., in 1967, after Vince finished training as a machinist. She taught elementary education at Fourth Baptist Christian Day School for four years, including teaching the entire music curriculum for the school. Beginning in 1971, she taught in Robbinsdale School District. Her favorite grade to teach was 5th. In her words, “5th graders are filled with curiosity, enthusiastic about learning, and absorb knowledge like sponges.” After five years with Robbinsdale District, Arlys was swept up in teacher layoffs of 1977. She finished her career with Hennepin Technical Schools, working for 13 years as a Counselor Aide and in the Media Production Department, and retired in 1992.

Arlys and Vince began travelling, quite often by motorcycle. This source of pride and joy took them on long trips to Colorado, California and Montana. They enjoyed camping with Arlys’ siblings, and spent several years going to Rollag, Minn., for the Western Minnesota Steamthresher’s Reunion. Arlys and Vince moved to Fairmont, Minn., in 1999, returning closer to their Madelia roots. Vincent died in 2005.

After several years living in her home, Arlys moved to Goldfinch Estates in Fairmont, where she lived independently for about five years before moving to Memory Care in 2014. We are grateful to the staff of Goldfinch Estates for their kindness and loving care of Arlys in her last years, and particularly in her last days. Arlys died at Goldfinch on Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, having just reached the age of 89.

Arlys is survived by sister, Shirley (Irving) Hagen of St. James; brother, Daryl (Gwen) Bonderman of Sand Creek, Wis.; children, Crystal (Dwight) Andersen of Fairmont, Minn., Cathy (Roy) Gruss of Missoula, Mont., Steven (Terri) Tharp of Hastings, Minn., and Jody Tharp of Rochester, Minn.; grandchildren, Arik (Sue) Andersen, Kellie (Mike) Godden, Amy (Jeremy) Dahl, Eltza (Mike) Olsen, Leapin’ Leo Gruss, Joel Tharp, Ben (Jamie) Tharp, Kara Tharp, Kassie Tharp, Cullen Tharp Mitchell; 21 great-grandchildren; 10 nieces and nephews and their families.

Arlys was preceded in death by husband, Vincent Tharp; brother, Roscoe Bonderman; sisters-in-law, Carol Bonderman and Judy Bonderman; and brother-in-law, Eldon Tharp. Memorials in Aryls’ name for Alzheimer’s research can be made to Cure Alzheimer’s Fund (www.curealz.org).

www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

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