Arlene Derksen

Arlene was born July 8, 1928 in Mountain Lake, MN to Otto and Nettie Gerdes and grew up on the family farm. She went to be with her LORD and Savior on November 17, 2019. She went to a one room country school for grades 1- 8 and then transferred to Mountain Lake H.S. graduating in 1946. From early age she loved the LORD. At age 12 she knelt by her bedside and she asked Jesus to come into my heart. She was baptized on confession of her faith and accepted into membership of the Mennonite Brethren Church. While she was still in high school she committed her life to serve the LORD wherever He would lead. This dedication to the LORD characterized her ministry of service throughout her entire life. She began Tabor College in Hillsboro, KS in 1946 and it was there that she recognized Gods calling to be a nurse and a missionary. She began her nurses training at Mounds Midway School of Nursing in St. Paul completing her nursing degree in 1952 and completing Tabor College in 1954. She was then ordained and commissioned by the Mennonite Brethren Mission and was assigned to missionary service in what was then the Belgian Congo. In preparation for this, she spent one year in Antwerp, Belgium studying tropical medicine and French. She began mission work in the Congo in 1955 at the MB mission station in Kajiji where there was a hospital, nurses training program and church. Arlene especially loved the children and the nursing students and focused a lot of her ministry on caring for the sick children and teaching the students. After 26 years in the Congo, some health issues made it prudent to discontinue her work there. Arlene was concerned about what her focus of ministry would be on returning home. At that point, Clarence Derksen entered her life and they were married July 1981. What a joy it was for her. They lived on Clarences farm near Butterfield, MN and both were actively involved in numerous Christian ministries. Arlene served as Sunday School teacher, St James Christian Womens Club leader, Community Bible Church Womens Mission Society chairman and many other ministries. She also enjoyed being stepmother/grandmother to Clarences children whom she loved very much and encouraged them in their faith. Clarence passed away in January 1996 after which Arlene moved to her home in Mt. Lake. In 2012 she moved to the Good Samaritan Retirement Home in St. James where she continued her ministry through Bible Studies, prayer groups and personal encouragement. Arlene was preceded in death by parents, Otto and Nettie Gerdes, brothers, Ray and Marvin and husband, Clarence. There are many surviving family members including brother Art Gerdes (Peggy), sister-in-law Yvonne Gerdes (Marvin), stepchildren DeWayne Derksen, (Margaret), Sharon Spear, (C.T.L.), and Darrel Derksen, (Patricia), and many nieces, nephews and step-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, Arlene suggested donations to MB Missions and Services or the Mt. Lake Christian School. Visitation 1 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Friday, December 6, 2019 Sturm Funeral Home, Mountain Lake Chapel 420 - 10th St. N. Mtn. Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159 Visitation 2 10:00 am - 11:00 am Saturday, December 7, 2019 Community Bible Church-Mt Lake 500 Klein St. Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159 Service Information 11:00 am Saturday, December 7, 2019 Community Bible Church-Mt Lake 500 Klein St. Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159 Interment Information First Mennonite Cemetery-Butterfield 65401 320th St. Butterfield, Minnesota, United States 56120