Arleta Stensland

Arleta Ann (Kleppe) Stensland, 88, of West Union died Saturday, July 31, 2021 at Stoney Brook in West Union, Iowa. She was born in West Union, Iowa on December 29, 1932 to Elmer John and Henrietta Martha (Paulson) Kleppe. They lived on a farm about ten miles northeast of West Union until 1945, when a move to West Union was made.

Arleta attended Dover #7 country school until this move. After graduation from high school in West Union, she entered the Kahler School of Nursing in Rochester, Minnesota, finishing in 1954. Her career took her from Rochester to California back to Rochester. In 1980, Arleta gave up nursing to stay with her mother in West Union, until her death in February of 1981. In 1983, Arleta was united in marriage with Floyd Arlie Stensland and they lived on Floyd’s home farm west of Eldorado, Iowa. She thoroughly enjoyed country living. 

Arleta was baptized at First Lutheran Church in Ossian, Iowa and confirmed at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in West Union, where she continued her membership until 1988. She then became a charter member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in West Union, Iowa. Arleta was a strong Christian believer; she loved her family and cared for all of God’s living creatures. Over the years, Arleta enjoyed traveling, quilting, oil painting, rosemaling, woodcarving, music, reading and volunteering.

Surviving Arleta are her nieces and nephews, Connie (Two) Hallett and her husband, Virl, Bonnie (Two) Mack and her husband Lenny, Robin Marquette, Julie (Marquette) Everett, Jill (Marquette) Lynch and her husband, Jim, Todd Marquette and W. Scott Marquette; ten great nieces and nephews; and several great-great nieces and nephews.

Arleta was preceded in death by her husband Floyd; parents, Elmer and Henrietta Kleppe; nephew, Lowell Two; sisters-in-law, Alice Thelma (Stensland) Two and Violet Darlene (Stensland) Marquette; one brother-in-law, Lennie Rayford Stensland and her cousin, Marie Kleppe.

Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 14, 2021 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in West Union, Iowa with Pastor Rusty Phillips as the officiant. A Visitation will be held from 10:00 am until time of service at the church on Saturday.

Burial will follow at West Union Cemetery in West Union, Iowa.

The family is requesting everyone to please wear a mask.

Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of West Union, Iowa is helping the family with arrangements.