Arlene Ruth Hite

Arlene Ruth (Ziegenbein) Hite, 89, of Yuba City, CA, passed away peacefully on January 13, 2026, at Rideout Hospital in Marysville, CA, while on comfort care.

Arlene was born at home in Payette, ID, on June 13, 1936, to Robert Ziegenbein and Opal (Humphrey) Ziegenbein.

She was the oldest of three children. In 1966, she married her loving husband, Kenneth Hite. They were together for 59 years.

Arlene was an active and passionate member of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, where she served as both a deacon and an elder and dedicated herself to many committees and teams.

She was an Avon representative and later a successful district manager, earning a Circle of Excellence award and a trip to Greece for her captivating leadership.

Around age 50, Arlene went back to school and started her real estate career with Century 21, working there for 20 years before finally retiring in 2005.

She loved being of service to others. Her strong sense of caring and compassion drove her desire to help those in need, volunteering her time and energy to support friends and strangers alike.

Arlene was instrumental in starting Hands of Hope and Bridges to Housing, two organizations that assist the local homeless community.

She loved spending time with family, cooking for others, tending her flower garden, knitting and word puzzles.

She is survived by her husband, Kenneth Hite; children, Dave (Frani) Kasik of Chiloquin, OR, Laurie Kasik of Lindsay, NE, Steve (Jeannie) Kasik of Yankton, SD, Cheryl Hite of Boise, ID, Nancy Swartz of Hadar, NE, Ken Price of La Grande, OR, and Jill (John) Woodruff of Costa Mesa, CA; 15 grandchildren; and 19 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Don Ziegenbein and Delbert Ziegenbein; step-son, Bill Hite; grandsons, Jason Kent and Shane Melcher; and great-granddaughter, Pepper Kasik.

A memorial service will be held at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Yuba City, CA, on February 16, 2026, at 10 AM. The service will also be livestreamed on Zoom and Facebook.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to either Hands of Hope or Bridges to Housing, two organizations Arlene volunteered her time and heart to.