Arlene Thome

ARLENE MARIE THOME

Cedar Rapids

Arlene Marie Thome, 83,

of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Waterloo, died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, at Cottage Grove Place in Cedar Rapids. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Marion, where a parish vigil service will be held at 4 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion, where the family will greet friends one hour prior to Mass. Burial will take place at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids

Arlene was born Nov. 18, 1933, in Riceville, Iowa, the daughter of John Michael (Mike) and Esther (Mueller) Hartogh. She attended school in Elma and played on the high school basketball team. Arlene was united in marriage to Joseph Thome on Sept. 27, 1955, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Elma.

After working for Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. as an operator in both Mason City and Waterloo, she took time off to raise her family. In Waterloo, she was involved in St. Mary's Catholic Church, where she started a Sunday school and later served as head lector. She worked for Waterloo Community Schools for over 25 years, ending her career as the school system's transportation supervisor. She was a member of the Iowa Pupil Transportation Association, serving as president from 1992 to 1994. She and Joseph later moved to Cedar Rapids, where they were involved with the Knights of Columbus.

Arlene is survived by six children, Michael (Sandra) Thome of Cedar Rapids, Rhonda (David) Zoz of Lakeville, Minn., Karla (Kevin Sura) Pitts of Shakopee, Minn., Nicholas Thome (Brenda Hill) of Louisville, Ky., Brenda (Robert) Zimmerly of Independence and Craig Thome of International Falls, Minn.; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sisters and brothers, Janet Manning, Leon (Mary) Hartogh, Francis Lamerson, Bernard Hartogh and Kenneth (Sue) Hartogh; and sisters- and brothers-in-law, Mildred Thome, Marjorie Mayer, Imelda (Vernon) Mayer, Lorena (Ray) Panhoff and Emile (Wayne) Gerlach.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Joseph; son, Joseph; sisters-in-law, Mary Young and Sandy Hartogh; and brothers-in-law, Gerald Manning, Ralph Thome, Benedict Thome, Larry Hayungs, Jerry Lamerson, Gene Mayer and Anthony Young.

Memorials may be directed to Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center at 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha, IA 52233 or Sisters of Mercy Convent at 1125 Prairie Dr. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404.

Please share a memory of Arlene at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.