Arlene Bryenldson, 90, of Centerville, SD, passed away on Saturday, September 12, 2026, surrounded by her loving family at Centerville Care & Rehab in Centerville, SD. Visitation with the family present will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., with her funeral service beginning at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Komstad Covenant Church, 29987 University Rd, in rural Beresford. Burial will take place at Komstad Covenant Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Komstad Covenant Church in Arlene's name.

Arlene Elizabeth Mandl was born at home in Freeman, SD, on September 30, 1935, to Peter and Elizabeth (Pollman) Mandl, as their only child. By the age of 16, Arlene had lost both of her parents. Her Aunt Adina and Uncle John Hofer along with their 3 children, Mary Ann, Ruby, and Homer took her in as their own. They became a new family.

Arlene was baptized May 27, 1951, by Rev. Jacob B. Hofer at the Neu Hutterthal Mennonite Church in rural Bridgewater, SD. She attended Apple Grove County School in Freeman until the 7th grade, and then transferred to Freeman Academy, where she graduated in 1954. She then went to Freeman Junior College for one year for a pre-nursing course. When going to college, she worked at a restaurant during the noon hour and also worked at the Freeman Hospital. After completing her course, she went to work at the Mitchell Hospital and Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls. During her time at the Junior College, she entered into a pen pal program where she was connecting with Denise, who was living in Wisconsin. Denise invited Arlene and Mary Ann to go to Wisconsin to be at her wedding. While there, Denises’s family thought that Arlene should start writing to her brother Hensel, who was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. They fell in love and got married on Hensels’ 23rd birthday, March 16, 1957. The couple farmed in Freeman for 5 years and then moved to Centerville in 1962, where she lived the rest of her life. They had 4 kids: Craig, Norma Jean, Marcy, and Doug. From 1962 to 1967, she stayed home to raise Craig and Marcy. During that time, she was a den mother for Craig’s cub scout club. When Marcy was old enough for school, Arlene walked in the doors to ask for a job at the Centerville Good Samaritan and worked there from 1967 to 2025. She did take on some part-time work alongside it. She was on the Centerville Ambulance crew for 7 years, worked part-time in the Irene Nursing Home and working for in-home healthcare for the State of South Dakota.

In her spare time, Arlene would be in her kitchen trying out new recipes. You could also find her in her garden. She loved to read books and watch cooking shows. She also went on several trips. While Hensel was still alive, they would drive their family out to Wisconsin to see Hensel’s family. Dale and Marcy would also drive them to the Black Hills. After Hensel’s passing, Dale and Marcy took Arlene to Missouri, Texas, Colorado, Tennessee, California, and Arkansas. She also was a member of Komstad Covenant Church in Beresford.

Arlene will be best known for all of her years of service at the nursing home. She loved working there! She loved that the residents would look forward to seeing her walk through the door at the beginning of her shift. She loved them like family, as they loved her like family. With the passing of her granddaughter, Samantha, and daughter, Marcy, work brought her comfort during her time of grief. She was recognized several times during her 58 plus years there, earning several employee of the month awards, employee of the year awards, and even a top employee award from Good Samaritan Corporate. In 2025, on her 90th birthday, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award through Centerville Care and Rehab. She also had some TV time. In 2011, she and her son, Doug, witnessed a bank robbery in Centerville. Don Jorgenson from Keloland came down to interview her. Then in 2021, Keloland came down to do a story on her for her longevity of being in healthcare and how she had no plans to retire.

Grateful for having shared her life are her two sons, Craig and Doug, both of Centerville; 3 grandkids, Katie Larson and Ben Larson of Beresford, and Aria Pierce Bryenldson of St. Roberts, MO; 3 great-grandkids, Taelyn Warrington, and Sunny and Soren Bryenldson; 2 special cousins, Mary Ann Hofer of Sioux Falls and Homer Hofer of Emery; her in-laws of Wisconsin, Rose and Elwin Walsted, Robbie and Diane Skoug and John and Claire Brynildson of Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews.

Arlene was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Hensel Bryenldson; an infant daughter, Norma Jean; daughter, Marcy; granddaughter, Samantha Larson; special cousin Ruby Hofer; sister-in-law, Denise Roseth; and brother-in-law, LaVerne Roseth.