Arlis Walton-Kettner

Arlis LaRae was born August 26, 1937 in Estherville, IA, one of seven brothers and sisters, to Henry and Sophia (Broderson) Steffen. As an infant she lived with her family in Dunnell, IA until moving to Fairmont in 1940. In 1950 they moved to a farm in Ogilvie, MN where she graduated from high school in 1956. After high school, Arlis worked at Augustana Lutheran Church Headquarters in Minneapolis as a receptionist/secretary. She married Myron Walton on September 16, 1956 and they lived in Brooklyn Center, Osseo and Blaine before moving to Springfield in 1966. Following their divorce in 1977, Arlis started her licensed in-home daycare business which she operated until June 1997 and she was the Brown County Daycare Provider of the Year in 1996! She continued her work with daycare by assisting with the St. John's Grandkids until her death. She also worked at the VS Variety Store during the summers of 1985 to 1993. Arlis was united in marriage to Arthur G. Kettner on March 22, 1997 in Fairmont and they lived happily at Art's family farm. She was very involved at Zion Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School and Bible School, served on the Altar Guild and as secretary treasurer of the LWML, and sang in the choir. Arlis was also on the Board of Education, the Cemetery Board, and the ECFE Board. She was a member of a quilting group, the Red Hat Society, the Springfield Community Theatre, the SAFE Committee and her neighborhood birthday group which has met since 1968. Arlis enjoyed music, reading, dancing, friends, children and family gatherings, and most important of all, being a mother and grandmother. Arlis died on Sunday, January 9, 2005 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis at the age of 67 years. She is survived by husband- Arthur of Springfield; daughters- Vikki and Glen Morford of St. Cloud and their children Jameson, Chris and Phillip, and Rhonda and Kevin Ludewig of Springfield and their children Nicholas, Bobbi, Joshua and Megan; sons- Scott and Lisa Walton of Mitchell, SD and their children Sidney, Braeden and Jayda, and Douglas and Stacy Walton of Springfield and their children Alex and Taylor; step-son- Kevin and Wendy Kettner of Springfield and their children Tiffani and Kaylie;sisters- Leona Richmond of Ivanhoe, and Dorothy 'Babe' and Mike Kennedy of Fairmont; brothers- Orm and Karen Steffen of Baudette, Jack and Veronica Steffen of Mankato, and Robert 'Bob' and Mitzi Steffen of Ogilvie; sister-in-law- Joan Steffen of Sherburn; special godchild- Jay Baldwin; and many special nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother- Gene Steffen; brother-in-law- Ernest Richmond; and niece- Joyce Swanson.