Ariela Wege

Ariela Wege, age 83, was born to Schlomo an dJudith Barzel in Tel Aviv, Israel on March 3, 1942. She died in Eaglecrest Nursing and Rehab in Ash Flat, Arkansas on October 6, 2025. She lived there with dementia for 39 months. Ariela had quite a life! After 2 years in the Israeli Army, she met Joseph LeGrandre in Israel and about 8 months later married him in Shreveport, Louisiana on August 28, 1962. She followed Joe (an animal nutritionist) wherever his job took him. She lived in Hermosillo, Mexico for 3 years, then moved to Chicago for 5 years, then on to Montreal, Canada for 6 months, then to New Orleans for 6 months, then back to Hermosillo, Mexico for 10 years where she designed and oversaw the building of a house. When Joe retired they came back to take care of his sick father in Marshall, Texas. They moved to Cherokee Village, Arkansas in 2004. Joe died on June 25, 2012. Ariela married James Wege on July 27, 2013. She was fluent in Hebrew, English, German, and French and she learned Spanish in 3 months. She wrote a cookbook in Spanish the second time she lived in Mexico. She raised cocker spaniels while in Mexico. She loved playing cards with her girlfriends every afternoon in Mexico. She became a master quilter in Texas. In Texas she was the president of the 100 member quilting bee, President of the Republican Party Women's Club of Harrison County, Texas, and President of the Jewish Synagogue in Longview, Texas all at the same time! She converted to Catholicism in 1999. She was a member of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Cherokee Village, Arkansas. She was preceded in death by her parent and sister, Yardena, and her first husband, Joseph LeGendre. She is survived by her husband, James Wege, of the home and a step son and 2 step daughters in Washington State, and her ex brother-in-law, Uri Doran and a nephew and two nieces all in Israel, other relatives in Israel and Louisiana and many friends. She was always willing to help people learn to quilt and teach them the Catholic Faith. She loved to entertain at her house and hosted a Book Club every month for 15 years. She was always gracious and had a great smile. She was a sharp dresser, everything had to match. Ariela was one of a kind. She will be missed by many.
Her funeral mass will be celebrated in St. Michaels Church on Monday, October 27th, 2025 at 11:00 A.M., with rosary beginning at 10:30 A.M., and she will be interred in St. Michaels Columbarium at a later date.