Arlene C. (Klumb) Wulff

Arlene C. Wulff (nee Klumb) passed away peacefully on Friday, September 30, 2022, very grateful to have her four daughters and one granddaughter present and to have had so many others check in virtually during her final days.

Born February 28, 1930, in the home that still stands on the family farm in the town of Barton, she was the first of 5 children born to Emil and Lena Klumb (nee Seefeldt).  Arlene knew life before indoor plumbing and electricity, when horses, not tractors, pulled wagons and plows, when the news of Pearl Harbor came over the radio, not the TV.  She walked across the fields from her home where German was spoken to attend first grade in a one room school house where German was forbidden, going on to graduate from Kewaskum High School.  Willing to learn new things when she saw their value, she learned to drive the family's first tractor and "the Hudson", their first automobile, undeterred by the neighbor who might have thought this inappropriate for a young woman.  This same feisty young woman lived to be the grandmother in her nineties who would read the newspaper on a tablet, regularly emailed her grandchildren, and used Google to figure out how to chase a live bat out of the house.

Arlene met the love of her life, Eldon Wulff, when he asked her to dance; the Blue Skirt Waltz became "their song".  Arlene, not one to believe in "love at first sight", probably knew he was “the one” when he rode his bicycle from Newburg to the farm to see her, 16 miles on an old fat-tired bicycle, not a modern lightweight 10 speed.   They married on November 25, 1950 at St Lucas Lutheran Church in Kewaskum.  The young couple took up residence in an 1885 brick home (without indoor plumbing) on a farm at the end of a quarter mile long gravel driveway off the end of a dead-end road where they raised 6 children.  There was always lots of music.  Eldon would take Arlene out on the dance floor for a waltz or a polka any chance he could.  Arlene would always make sure she got to church early enough to hear the preservice music and she would stay after the service until the music stopped.  Saturday nights meant Lawrence Welk and Mitch Miller.  And the kids would sing in the car, particularly carols at Christmas time.  Arlene truly partnered with Eldon, willing to do whatever it took, driving tractor, butchering chickens, raising and canning vegetables all while raising six children.  Making a home was her priority, so it is not surprising that she had many close friends through her years in the Wayne Willing Weavers Homemakers Club.  Family being a priority, she attended every Seefeldt Family Reunion held through its 83-year run, except for the year she had a newborn.  She enjoyed it not only for the family time but for the beautiful afternoon spent under the trees at the park - it was simple things like this that gave her pleasure.  It was not an easy life, but it was a good life; Arlene loved living on the farm, working in the garden, hearing a tractor running in the distance meaning that things were going well, listening to the birds, and watching deer, turkeys, cranes and other wildlife she could see from her window.  But woe to any woodchuck that dared to mess with her garden. 

Arlene and Eldon lived all their married life on the beloved farm they named Ardon Acres, Eldon until he died, Arlene until just 3 days before she passed away. 

As she knew her life on earth was coming to an end, Arlene wanted those who she leaves behind to know how thankful she was to have had such a good life, good family, and good friends, church friends and of course, her wonderful homemakers club friends. She shared many “I love you’s” in those last days. 

In addition to her parents and her husband, Arlene was preceded in death by 2 sons, Scott and Kevin; 2 sisters, Esther Fowler and Audrey Klumb; a brother, Harvey Klumb; and two grandsons, Ben Tetlow and Christian Wulff Laux.

Her survivors include 4 daughters, April Tetlow (Andy) of Austinburg, Ohio, Nina Wulff (Larry Laux) of the Town of Genesee, Cheryl (John) Wozniak of Port Washington and Linda Wulff (Roger Plumb) of Beaver Dam; a brother, Edward Klumb of the Town of Barton; a daughter-in-law, Jennifer Daul of St Paul, Minnesota; and special friend, Sue (Dave) Flasch of Fox Lake.    Arlene was blessed with 17 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren who were sure to put a twinkle in her eye and a warm smile on her face, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

When asked what advice she would give to those she leaves behind, she said, “Be kind and respect others, even when you disagree.”  Those she leaves behind will always remember her lovely flowers, her strong faith, her love of music and family.  We will miss her, her “you hoo’s” and her infectious giggle (did she ever tell you about the time she froze at the top of an escalator?  --then you have heard it too).

The family will greet relatives and friends at St. Lucas Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kewaskum on Sunday, October 9, 2022 beginning at 1:00 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. Rev. Timothy Henning will officiate a Funeral service at 2:30 p.m. and burial will follow at Lutheran Memorial Park.

Memorials may be designated to St. Lucas Lutheran Church and School. Undesignated memorials will go to Feeding Kevins Kids, a charity started by Kevin to feed and share God's Word with poor children in the Philippines and continued by his family in his memory.

The Myrhum-Patten Funeral Home of West Bend has been entrusted with Arlene’s arrangements. Additional information and guest book may be found at www.myrhum-patten.com.

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