Arlene was born May 15, 1935, to Selma (Wassman) and Arthur Nibbe on the farm near Ormsby, Minn. She was baptized, confirmed and married at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Galena Township, Ormsby, Minn. In 1953, she graduated from St. James High School in St. James, Minn. Arlene attended the Swedish Hospital School of Nursing in Minneapolis, and in 1956 graduated as a registered nurse. She moved to Fairmont and worked as the Director of Nurses, as a coronary care/ICU nurse and as a cardiac rehabilitation supervisor at Fairmont Community Hospital, retiring in 1995, after 31 years of service.

Arlene and Richard A. Range were married on Sept. 7, 1958, and made their home in Fairmont. They had four children: Susan (Kent) Warneke of Norfolk, Neb., Sharon (Walter) Guebert of Austin, Texas, Janice Heins of Austin, Texas, Kenneth (Marion) Range of Big Lake, Minn. Visits to see their 8 grandchildren took Richard and Arlene across the country on many occasions. The education of their children and grandchildren was very important to them. Their expectations and encouragement resulted in two Lutheran teachers, two engineers, an occupational therapist, a librarian, an attorney, a physical therapist, a realtor, an equipment safety inspector, a physician assistant and a medical assistant, all leading productive lives in God’s kingdom. Arlene and Richard moved to Norfolk, Neb. in 2002 due to Richard’s declining health. Richard died in 2008.

Arlene preferred to be busy. She was an exceptional seamstress and sewed well into her 80s. She had a large garden in Minnesota and canned the produce with her family pitching in. She became an avid reader later in life when she had the time. She was very involved in her churches, namely St. Paul’s Lutheran in Fairmont and Christ Lutheran in Norfolk, Neb., finding great joy and comfort in attending worship and Bible classes and also teaching women’s Bible studies. She delighted in bringing people closer to Jesus by teaching the Bible and Luther’s Small Catechism. Arlene can be remembered as chairing the St. Paul’s Lutheran fair stand on the Sunday of the Martin County Minnesota Fair for many years with Richard. While her cooking never won an award, her family fondly remembers barbecues, scalloped corn, whipped Jello with ice cream and homemade caramel corn. She could find a solution for many a problem, attending to every detail. Arlene was active at the Norfolk Senior Center, the Care Givers Support Group and as a volunteer for numerous years at Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk, Neb.

Survivors include her four children; eight grandchildren: Sarah Warneke of Bismarck, N.D.; Alex (Cayla) Warneke of Denver, Colo.; Phillip Guebert of Austin, Texas, Travis (Samantha) Guebert of Austin, Texas, Erica Guebert of Austin, Texas, Ashley (Michael) Sellechio of Austin, Texas, Analissa Range of Plymouth, Minn. and Molly (Joe) Hasse of Foley, Minn.; seven great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Rosemary Range of Minneapolis, Minn.; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Arlene was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; her brothers, Charles and Ronnie Nibbe of Ormsby, Minn.; and twin brothers who died in infancy.

Memorials may be directed to the Christ Lutheran Church Endowment, Norfolk, Neb. or to St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Fairmont, Minn. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.homeforfuneralsinc.com.

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