IN MEMORIAM
EXPANDED EULOGIES
Arlene Williams
A private family service at Trinity Cemetery, Hudson, will be held at a later date for Arlene Louise Van Galder Williams, who died Sept. 27 at Punta Gorda, Florida.
Arlene was born July 30, 1945, to Carl and Reitha Osborn Van Galder at Stafford District Hospital.
She was raised on the family homestead in Hudson as an only child. She attended 1st through 12th grade at Hudson school and graduated in 1963.
After graduation Arlene attended Fort Hays State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and music in 1967.
She went on to earn her Master’s Degree in elementary education in 1971.
Arlene spent the following 47 years in education, teaching a year at Bluff City, 18 years at Anthony, six years at Stafford County, and 22 years at Phillips County and surrounding towns. In the summers of 1984 to 1998, she taught on the campus of Fort Hays State University and held two sessions of summer camp for the gifted and talented throughout the Midwest.
Throughout Arlene’s extensive teaching career, she had the great pleasure to direct multiple school plays, assistant coach the forensics team, coach the scholars bowl team for Phillipsburg High School, and create spelling lists for the county spelling bee.
In Arlene’s personal time she participated in the Community Cantata, played the piano and organ, and led church choirs at Trinity Community Church in Hudson and United Methodist Church in Phillipsburg.
Among her many accolades, her greatest accomplishments in life included being invited to attend the Worlds Conference for Gifted and Talented Students in Europe in the summer of 1985, receiving her Eastern Star 50-year pin in 2013, and being a mother of two, grandmother of seven, and great-grandmother of one.
Arlene is survived by her son Carlen Williams of Hays, Kansas, his three daughters, son, and one grandchild; daughter Victoria Williams deSousa and husband Joseph deSousa of Punta Gorda, Florida, and their three sons; her stepbrother Marion Alpers and wife, Juanita; and many nephews, nieces, and great- and great-great-nieces and nephews.
Arlene was preceded in death by her parents Carl Van Galder and Reitha Van Galder-Alpers; stepfather Clarence Alpers; two stepbrothers; two grandsons; and her very special dog, Scooter.
She will be forever remembered for her ability to fill a room with laughter, dedication to her family, and being a consummate teacher until the end.