Arlene VanWormer

AURORA - Arlene VanWormer, 82, of Aurora, died Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008, at Memorial Hospital in Aurora.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Aurora United Methodist Church with the Rev. Richard Karohl officiating. Interment will be in the Aurora Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. Tuesday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary. Family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m.

Arlene Marian VanWormer, the daughter of John and Mary (Roth) Feuerstein, was born in southern Hamilton County on March 29, 1925.

Arlene attended country school and graduated from Stockham High School in 1942.

On March 29, 1945, she was united in marriage to Larry Dickson. Arlene was united in marriage to C. K. "Vanny" VanWormer on Oct. 21, 1950. Following her marriage to Vanny, they operated cafes in Aurora. First there was the Little Owl Diner, then Van's Steak House and Café and then the SYA Café. Vanny passed away on Jan. 6, 1969, and the café was sold. Arlene then worked at the Jack and Jill Grocery Store for nearly 15 years. She then worked at Dick's Café on the east edge of Aurora. When Dick's Café sold, she worked at Colonial Corners in Aurora until she retired.

Arlene enjoyed the church and sang in the choir for 35 years. She was very active and loved to bowl, doing this until illness forced her to quit. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, her sons raced a late model stock car. Arlene and her parents never missed a race no matter how far they had to travel. She loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Many of her nights were spent at baseball fields, football fields or in a gym watching her children and grandchildren, enjoying every minute of it.

Until her illness, she resided at Crossroad Courts. She enjoyed the card games and everything associated with that. She spent many of her lunches at the Senior Center and really enjoyed being with many of her friends.

Those left to cherish her memory are her three sons, Clifford "Butch" (Sandi) VanWormer of Aurora; Daniel (Janet) VanWormer of Aurora; and Jim (Jan) VanWormer of Aurora; sister, Judy (Jerry) Carlson of Columbus; grandchildren, Nikki (Tom) Richardson, Shawn (Crystal) VanWormer, Jason (Theresa) VanWormer, Jeremy (Jenny) VanWormer, Lisa Marie (Tim) Gretch, Lisa K. (Jim) Slavik, and Tracy and Lance Fisher; great-grandchildren, Ryah and Brookly Richardson, Darcie and Cadence VanWormer, Jordan, Zachary and Drew VanWormer, Ryan, Kyleigh and Morgan VanWormer, Kelsey and Alan Gretch, and Katie and Jake Slavik; and other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother, Virgil Feuerstein; sister, Dorothy Lentz; and brother-in-law, Kenny Lentz.

Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary Web site at http://www.higbymortuary.com">www.higbymortuary.com