Extracted from The Northwood Anchor Independent (Northwood, IA)
Tuesday, February 19, 2002

Ola Mae Arendts

Ola Mae Arendts, 81, Northwood, died Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2002 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.

Funeral services were Friday at the Bethany Lutheran Church, Kensett, with Rev. Selmer G. Hernes officiating. Burial was at the Kensett Cemetery.

Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, Northwood, was in charge of arrangements.

Ola Mae was born in Faxton [sic Faxon], OK on March 13, 1920 to Monroe “Monk” Boyett and Samantha Henry Boyett. She spent her childhood in both Arkansas and Kensett, graduating from Kensett High School in 1939. She graduated from Hamilton Business College and was employed by AAA and Farm Bureau before marrying Stanton Arendts, her high school sweetheart on May 30, 1942 in Reno, NV. After World War II, the couple settled in Kensett where “Ole” worked for many years as bookkeeper at the Jefferson Highway Garage, the family owned Ford dealership.

Over the years, Ola became known for her fun loving, sparkling personality as well as her community involvement as a Boy Scout den mother and election board official. She was a faithful member of Bethany Lutheran Church where she served as a Bible School teacher and was involved in circle and ladies aid.

In the 60's, Ola Mae was a Kensett Garden Club member. In the most recent past she greatly enjoyed going to swimnastics at the YMCA in Albert Lea, even though she was afraid of the water and couldn't swim. She was an avid traveler, making trips to the Philippines, Norway and all 50 states including Alaska several times. Her favorite trips were those to visit her children: Stanton Arendts, Irvine, CA; Andra Zamacona, Fremont, CA; Jackie Aase, Port Townsend, WA and Terry Gaskill, Marshalltown, IA.

Ola Mae loved playing cards, dancing to big band music and attending the barbershop programs in Mason City and band concerts in the park. She was a fabulous cook who loved to collect and try new recipes, inventing her own many times to the delight of family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and by her loving husband, Stan, in 1984.

As well as her four children, she is survived by nine grandchildren, Brad and Diane Gaskill; Lauren and Joe Aase; Brian and Amanda Zamacona and Nancy Collopy, Bret and Marni Arendts; two great-grandchildren, Julianne and Kelly Collopy and sister-in-law Della Blanche Holmen.

Memorials may be sent to Bethany Lutheran Church, 600 5th Street, Kensett, IA 50448 or to Hospice of North Iowa, 232 2nd St. S.E., Mason City, IA.