Arlene Petersen, 101, of Newell dies; memorial at St. Peter Feb. 7

Arlene Petersen, a longtime Newell resident who loved crocheting, gardening and family gatherings, died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at Accura Healthcare in Aurelia. She was 101.

Memorial services will take place Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Newell, with visitation one hour prior, 9:30–10:30 a.m., at the church. Burial will be in Zion Lutheran Cemetery. Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is handling arrangements and the family has created an online Life Tributes page; the obituary was published on Legacy.com by the funeral home on Feb. 2, 2026. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hope for Life, 800 Oneida St., Storm Lake, IA 50588.

Born June 12, 1924, Arlene was listed in family notices as Neva Arlene Petersen in some records but was known publicly as Arlene Petersen. She married Ralph Arrow Petersen at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Newell on July 23, 1968; Ralph died in November 1990. Her sons Richard and Michael predeceased her, Richard on Feb. 21, 1987, and Michael on Dec. 9, 2009. Survivors include daughter Bonnie Worthan of Broomfield, Colo., and son Tony (Melinda) Buchholz of Newell. Daughter-in-law Rosemary Buchholz of Stoughton, Wis., sister Jean Hahn of Riverton, Wyo., and sister-in-law Donna Morse of Ida Grove are also listed among family.

Arlene’s grandchildren and their spouses are named in the obituary as Grant (Traci) Worthan and Brooke Worthan of Broomfield, Colo.; Eric Buchholz of Stoughton, Wis.; Rachel (Ryan) Stavens of Wyoming, Minn.; Brett (Alicia) Buchholz of Ames; and Chad (Danielle) Buchholz of Newell. Her great-grandchildren include Zach, Josh and Jessie Worthan; Donnie and Amelia Stavens; Josiah, Micah, Anna and Lydia Buchholz; and Tate, Booker, Dallas and Jackson Buchholz.

Her obituary emphasizes home skills and small-town pastimes that resonate across Buena Vista County: crocheting, puzzles, sewing, gardening and canning, along with travel with Ralph to Chicago, Colorado, Arizona and Montana. Those pursuits reflect the multigenerational, place-based ties many families maintain here between Newell, Storm Lake and neighboring towns.

Petersen’s death is a reminder of the aging population in rural Iowa and the role played by long-term care facilities like Accura Healthcare in Aurelia. For local residents and policymakers, the passing of elders such as Arlene highlights community responsibilities around elder care, supports for multigenerational households, and sustaining faith-based and civic networks that keep small towns connected.

Neighbors wishing to honor Arlene can attend the memorial at St. Peter Lutheran Church on Feb. 7, contribute to Hope for Life at the Storm Lake address provided, or share memories on the funeral home’s Life Tributes page. Her life and family ties underscore the continuity that many in Buena Vista County trace from kitchen gardens to church pews, and the practical questions ahead for caring for the county’s oldest residents.