Arlene L. Hagen

Arlene L. Hagen, 89, of Westby died Friday, August 31, 2012. Arlene L. Hagen, 89 of La Crosse and formerly of Westby died peacefully at Hillview Healthcare on Friday morning, August 31, 2012. She was born on November 21, 1922 to Ole and Clara (Nelson) Lyhus in Underwood, MN. By the age of six, both her parents had died. She and her siblings lived with grandparents. After graduating from Westby High School in 1942 she worked at Kearney and Trecker in Milwaukee during the war years. On March 10, 1945 she married Curtis W. Hagen. After the war they lived in La Crosse for three years and then moved to the Westby area where they farmed and milked Jersey cows.. They later divorced and Arlene moved to La Crosse.. She worked at Bethany-St. Joseph in housekeeping. After she retired she did some volunteering for RSVP and at St. Frances Hospital in the ICU Waiting Room. Arlene has resided at Hillview over six years.. The staff will remember Arlene for her love of cats and the foods she liked, such as, oyster stew, pickled pigs feet, lutefisk, lefse and pizza. She was very proud of her 100% Norwegian heritage. She was a member of the Skogdalen Lutheran Church, in Timber Coulee. Arlene is survived by her daughter, Carol A. Hagen of Westby,; her nieces Marilyn (Richard) Mellen of Cashton, Connie (Robert) Marsh of Westby, Annette (Mark) Mc Henry of Coon Valley. Nancy (Joel) Graw of Westby; and her nephews Glenn (Luanne) Olstad of Coon Valley and John (Suzanne) Lyhus of Glenview, IL She was preceded in death by her parents,, former husband, an infant brother Orville,, a sister Mildred (Glenn) Olstad and a brother Orville (Anne) Lyhus. Arlenes wishes were cremation with her cremated remains interred in the Barre Mills Cemetery. A memorial/reflection service will be held at the Vosseteig Funeral Home, 708 S. Main St. Westby, Tuesday September 4, 2012, at 1:00pm with Pastor Norman Rose officiating. Friends may call one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Carol thanks the staff at Hillview Healthcare for the wonderful loving care her mother received over the years she was a resident. It was all greatly appreciated. The Vosseteig Funeral Home of Westby is serving the family.