Farnham, Arlene Riecke

Arlene Riecke Farnham, 90, of Iowa City, died Monday Oct. 4, 2010, at Oaknoll Retirement Residence. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Iowa City. A time of fellowship and refreshments will follow the services at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Arlene's memory to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church or the American Cancer Society.

Online condolences may be sent for her family through the web at

Arlene was born March 29, 1920, in Iowa City, the daughter of Fred C. and Edna C. (Wolz) Riecke. She attended schools in Iowa City graduating from City High School in 1936. She went on to attend the State University of Iowa for a number of years. On June 6, 1941, she was united in marriage to Alford Gailey Farnham in Iowa City. The couple made their home in New Jersey before returning to Iowa in 1992, where they lived in Spencer. Following the death of her husband, she moved to Iowa City in 1996. Here she renewed her membership in Gloria Dei Lutheran Church where she had been baptized, confirmed and married years earlier. In addition to her active membership there, she was a member of P.E.O. Chapter KZ, a volunteer in the local schools, especially the Rock & Read Program at Hoover Elementary. She believed in giving back to the community, thus throughout her years she was an active volunteer wherever she resided. Her love of music and her gardens will be one of her legacies.

Her family includes her three children and their spouses, Kathryn Follows (Dr. William) of Spencer, William Farnham (Karen) of Wilmington, Del., and Anne Jackson (Peter) of Oxford, N.J.; five grandchildren, Bruce Follows, Abigail Morley, Penelope Frischkorn, Dakota Farnham and Karin Voris; seven great-grandchildren, Nathan, Andrew and Kara Morley, Rachel Frischkorn, Kai Voris and Emma and Sarah Follows; sister, Joyce Baldwin of Cedar Rapids; brothers-in-law, Dr. Earl Wahl of Ames, and Richard Miller of Davenport; sister-in-law, Margaret Sears of Grinnell; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; three sisters, Edythe Lankhorst, Dorothy Miller and Ann Wahl; and a brother, Harold Riecke.

Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Arlene's family and her services.