Opal Arlene Winegarden

Arlene Winegarden died June 6, 2020 at Garnett Place Assisted Living Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at 103 years of age. She was born on April 1, 1917 to Earl and Ethyl Bair on the family farm near Webster, Iowa. She attended school in Webster and graduated from Webster Consolidated High School, Keokuk County, in 1934. After graduating, she followed the midwives at local families' homes and cared for the new mothers and their infants.

She married Virgil Lee Winegarden on December 21, 1940. They farmed near Webster until Virgil was drafted into the US Army in May of 1942. She often told stories about staying with other army wives in boarding houses in Alabama, Arizona and California. After Virgil returned from the war, they farmed southwest of Webster. She was active in the Women's Society of Christian Service. They moved to Sigourney after retiring in 1987. She then moved to Garnett Place in Cedar Rapids in 2013 to be closer to her family.

Arlene is survived by her son, Timothy (Susan) Winegarden; 2 grandchildren, Anne (Chris) Garinger and Jill Winegarden; 3 step-grandchildren, Heidi Altorfer, Amy (Jon) Severance, and Bill (Lauren) Altorfer; and 3 great-grandchildren. Our heartfelt thanks go out to the staff at Garnett Place for the loving care they gave her for over 7 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Ethyl Bair; husband, Virgil Lee Winegarden; brothers, Buford Bair and Arnold (Cub) Bair; sister, Audrey Johnston; and sister-in-law Frances (Francee) Bair.

A private family only service will be held at the Powell Funeral Home in North English on Saturday, June 13, 2020 at 1:00 pm. Friends may view the service on the Powell Funeral Home Facebook page. Burial will be in the Sorden Cemetery, rural Webster. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the Webster United Methodist Church or the Sigourney United Methodist Church. Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com