Arvilla M. Reichel

The memorial service for Arvilla M. Reichel, 95, of Stewartville,MN will be at 12 PM on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at Zion Lutheran Church in Stewartville. Visitation will be from 10 AM to the start of the service, with Rev. Tim Bowman officiating.  Interment will be at Woodlawn Cemetery in Stewartville. Mrs. Reichel died on Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at the Stewartville Care Center where she had been a resident since 2021.

Arvilla May Roheim was born May 21, 1927, to Even and Anna Roheim of Rock Dell Township.  She was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church.  She attended Olmsted County District #98 and Rochester High School.  She graduated from St. Olaf College on the morning of June 6, 1949 and was united in marriage to Glenn Reichel at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Northfield that same afternoon.  They farmed for 11 years in Rock Dell Township and then moved to Stewartville where Glenn was involved in home building and construction.

Arvilla taught Home Economics, grades 7-12, at Stewartville High School in 1951-1953.  In the 1970s she helped establish and was actively involved in the volunteer department at the Stewartville Nursing Home.  She served on the Stewartville Library board and was a member of the Monday Study Club. In the 1980s she took classes to become a Home Health Aide and Nursing Assistant.  She spent several years working for Olmsted County Health Department, Samaritan Bethany and Stewartville Nursing Home.  Later she attended classes at U of MN and Winona State University to receive her licensure in Early Childhood Education.  She was a Parent Educator during the ‘90s in Stewartville and continued to do substitute teaching of all grades well into her eighties.  Students from five decades claim her as teacher and friend. 

Throughout her life, Arvilla enjoyed choir singing and acting in plays and skits, sewing costumes and creating props.   

She was especially thankful for her Christian Faith, for the privilege of teaching and being an encourager; also thankful for all her family, for thoughtful friends and for the many blessings of good health and a long life.

She is survived by a daughter, Gretchen (David) Porter of  Minneapolis,MN, and sons Bryan Reichel and Craig (Brenda) Reichel of rural Chatfield,Mn. Also surviving are eight grandchildren: Benjamin Porter, Erica Carlson, Rebecca (McClain) Looney, Jacob (Jamie) Porter, Anna (Shane) Mensink, Brooke (Aaron) Vandenberg, Luke (Danielle) Reichel and Avary Reichel.  Survived by twenty great-grandchildren, Alyssa and Blake Gilmore, Gabe and Cayden Carlson, Keller Waters, Olivia Porter, Alma and Mack Looney, Ellen and Emma Porter, Gavin and Blake Krahn, Kale, Kaylin and Kypton Mensink, Morgan and Taylor Vandenberg, Oakley, Maverick and Ozzy Reichel. Also survived by one great-great grandchild, Olana Porter.

Her husband Glenn preceded her in death on May 15, 2010.

Memorials are suggested to the Stewartville Swimming Pool, Stewartville Library, Stewartville Fire Department/First Responders or Zion Lutheran Church. Arrangements are with Griffin-Gray FH in Stewartville. Condolences and memories of Arvilla are welcome at www.griffin-gray.com   To view a live stream of Arvilla's service go to Zion Lutheran's website and click on their Facebook link at 10:45 AM  tomorrow morning(1/26).

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