Arlene Victoria Palenshus

Arlene Victoria (Walther) Palenshus, 78, a resident of Willow Brook Christian Village, Delaware, Ohio, passed away October 2, 2023, at The OSU Wexner Medical Center from complications of lifelong Type 1 Diabetes. She was born August 25, 1945, in Bucyrus, Ohio, to Arthur and Oleta (Kalb) Walther, who precede her in death.

Arlene graduated from Colonel Crawford High School in 1963 as part of the first class after the final consolidation of schools that formed the Colonel Crawford School District. She went on to work for Motel Bucyrus Best Western, several retail clothing stores, and Anheuser-Busch Corporation before employment with The Ohio State University Medical Center and retiring from The Ohio State University athletics department. Arlene was a member of The Delaware Rotary Club and First Presbyterian Church of Delaware.

After a short period of retirement Arlene’s love for fur coats drew her back into the retail sector. As a part-time sales associate for Macy’s furrier department, she loved selling fur coats to customers. With this income, she had found a way to expand her fur coat collection; the likes included mink, fox, lamb, coyote and much more.

While working in The OSU athletics department, she had contacts with players in all sports and was able to gift her nephews and nephew-in-laws autographed footballs signed by football legend, Archie Griffin. She once told the story of when she asked a more recent football standout if he was still first-string before handing him his scholarship check. She truly enjoyed her time working in The OSU athletic department. Arlene enjoyed her time so much that she also became an avid member of the Buckeye Boosters and enjoyed the many trips to The OSU football bowl games, the basketball playoff and final four games. She took many “Buckeye Cruise for Cancer” trips during which she hung out with many former OSU football coaches and past players.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by two husbands, Otto Palenshus and James Trachsel; sister, Annabelle (Walther) Frank; brothers-in-law, Lawrence Frank and Ronald Hoover, and nephew, Frederick Frank.

She is survived by sister; Norma (Walther) Hoover of Bucyrus, Ohio; nieces, Theresa (Frank) Trase of Litchfield, Ohio, Denise (Frank) Scheiner of Robbinsville, New Jersy, Shelley (Frank) Duffy of Richardson, Texas, Deb (Hoover) Rucklos of Upper Sandusky, Ohio; and nephew Denis Hoover of Bucyrus, Ohio. Also surviving are great nieces and nephews, as well as the grandchildren of late husband Otto.

The family wishes to thank Arlene’s faithful companion, Steve Wells, of Willow Brook Christian Village for all his love and care. They had many years of fun together visiting his family, traveling, and watching OSU sports.

Thank you to the staff of Willow Brook Christian Village for their friendship and their occasional care.

Celebration of Life service will be held at Willow Brook Christian Village on November 4, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. in the Terrace Room. Arlene will be privately inurned in the Oakwood Cemetery Columbarium in Bucyrus.

As a lifelong diabetic, Arlene was a financial supporter for The Ohio State University Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center. Because of this, she would appreciate any gifts given to be made payable to the Ohio State University Foundation. These gifts, which will be applied to Fund No 306585 (diabetes research) will be accepted directly through the OSU Foundation, PO Box 710811, Columbus, Ohio 43271 or can also be mailed to Wise Funeral Service, 129 W. Warren St., Bucyrus, Ohio 44820. Expressions of sympathy can be shared on her guestbook.