Arlene Morrison

Arlene Norma Morrison

West Des Moines

Arlene Norma Morrison, 88, passed away on Sunday, August 7, 2011, at Kavanagh House in Des Moines. Visitation will take place at her church, Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Des Moines, on Thursday, August 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. Her funeral will be held at Mount Olive on Friday, August 12, at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Kendall Meyer presiding. Burial will take place later this month in East Dundee, IL, where she grew up.

Arlene (Rakow) Morrison was born on March 14, 1923 in Elgin, IL, the youngest of three children. She was reared in the Lutheran Church/Missouri Synod, attending church and parochial school at Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee. She was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church/Missouri Synod, and possessed a deep and abiding faith in God.

On September 29, 1955, Arlene was united in marriage to Clair Morrison at Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee. The couple and their three sons lived in East Dundee until March of 1965, when the family moved to Edina, MN. While Clair worked for Equitable Life of New York, Arlene experienced happiness as a mother and homemaker. She was a wonderful cook who appreciated good humor and liked to correspond with family and friends across the country. It was also during this period that she saw her two oldest sons get married and have children, and grieved the passing of her father, Albert Rakow, on August 19, 1970.

In November of 1974, Arlene, Clair, and their youngest son Scott moved to Arlington Heights, IL, where they would live until February of 1977, when they relocated to West Des Moines, IA, where Clair continued to work for Equitable Life. By this time Arlene's mother, Emma Rakow (Schumacher) was also living with the family, who cared for her diligently until her death on February 16, 1980.

After Clair's retirement in 1995, the couple continued to reside in West Des Moines. These were difficult times. For almost the last twenty years of her life, Arlene coped courageously with the effects of a paralyzing stroke and numerous other health problems, while being lovingly cared for by her devoted husband. Our deep grief over her passing is tempered by the knowledge that her suffering has finally ended and that she now lives within the heart of God.

In addition to her parents, Albert and Emma, Arlene was preceded in death by her oldest brother, Ralph Rakow.

Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Clair Morrison of West Des Moines, brother Roland Rakow (Pat) of Miami, FL, sons Gary (Cheryl) Morrison of Bellevue, WA, Alan (Pat) Morrison of Brooklyn Park, MN, and Scott Morrison of West Des Moines; nieces Lynn (Tom) Gibbons of Libertyville, IL, Janice (Paul) Orr of Dacula, GA; grandchildren Craig Morrison of Bellevue, WA, Anne Morrison of Woodenville, WA, Carrie (Tom) Green of Stillwater, MN, Andrea (Bernie) O'Brien of Burnsville, MN, and great-grandchildren Berlyn and Chloe Green.

Memorial contributions may be donated to Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Des Moines.