Arlene Marie Gifford

Arlene Marie Gifford, 89, formerly of Hager City, Wisconsin, died Friday, August 2, 2019 at the Waverly Gardens Care Center in North Oaks, Minnesota. She was born June 18, 1930, in Lake City, Minnesota, to Emil and Mary (Andrews) Axelson. She grew up in Ella and Arkansaw, Wisconsin, graduating from Arkansaw High School. On Feb. 26, 1949, she married Wallace Gifford and they later divorced. She worked at Smead's in Hastings and then for the Red Wing Shoe Company for 29 years until her retirement. She was an active member of Cornerstone Community Church and had been part of a long-standing church prayer group. During her children's youth she was active in AWANA and GMG. She had a passion for making quilts and loved spending time shopping at fabric stores. She always had a flower and vegetable garden in the summer and canned the best pickles. Arlene's family, faith and church community were most important to her and she lived her life in service to others.
She will be dearly missed by her children, Janice Wittenberg of Eagan, David Gifford of The Dalles, Oregon, Judy (Bruce) Peterson of Shoreview and Jayne Gifford of Lino Lakes; 10 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Glorus Lauer and a brother, Lyle Axelson.
Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 7, 2019, at Cornerstone Community Church in Red Wing. Visitation will be for one hour prior. Burial will be at the Oakwood Cemetery in Pepin, Wisconsin. Memorials are preferred to the church or Waverly Gardens Care Center. Arrangements are handled by Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com

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Visitation

AUG 7. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (CDT)

Cornerstone Community Church

Memorial Service

AUG 7. 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (CDT)

Cornerstone Community Church