Margaret Lorene Arndorfer

Margaret Lorene Arndorfer, age 88, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away on Friday, April 18, 2025, at Stacyville Community Nursing Home in Stacyville, Iowa. Margaret was born on January 8, 1937, in Clarion, Iowa, to Anthony and Christina (Nelson) Mallinger. In 1956, she graduated from Barnum High School and went on to get a degree from the St. Joseph School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse. On October 10, 1959, Margaret married Kenneth Arndorfer at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church in Clare, Iowa. She worked for many years as a Registered Nurse in various capacities, including as a surgical nurse at the Belmond Hospital, at Clarion Hospital in the labor and delivery, surgical, and emergency departments (among others), at St. Olaf Hospital as a general floor nurse, and at Burr Oak Manor Nursing Home. After she retired from nursing, she kept busy working at her daughter’s daycare. In addition to all of her professional responsibilities, she assisted her husband with the family farm.

Margaret was a member at Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Austin. She enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening, canning, and baking and spent her free time knitting, crocheting, and traveling. She loved being with her family and caring for her grandchildren.

Margaret is survived by her husband, Kenneth Arndorfer of Austin; children, Kenneth Anthony (Bobbi) Arndorfer of Tigard, Oregon, Richard (Tracy) Arndorfer of Mandan, North Dakota, and Diane (Ben) Jacobsen of Leroy, Minnesota; grandchildren, Matthew (Dianna) White, Kenneth Robert Arndorfer, Addison Arndorfer, Haley Jacobsen, Elizabeth (Kaleb) Asfahl, Christian Jacobsen, and James Jacobsen; great-grandchildren, Natasha (Cody) Mahon and one due in July; great-great grandchildren, Willow, Raven, and one due in August; sister, Janet Wagner of Fort Dodge, Iowa; and sisters-in-law, Deanna Mallinger of Cedar Falls, Iowa and Joan Mallinger of Pocahontas, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her parents, Anthony and Christina Mallinger; brothers, Eugene (Deanna) Mallinger, Leo Mallinger, Anthony Jr. Mallinger, Paul Mallinger, and one in infancy; sisters, Alice (Eugene) Francois, Lena Mallinger (infant), and Mary Mallinger (infant).

A Mass of Christian Burial for Margaret is at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Austin. Visitation will take place one hour prior to Mass on Thursday. Interment will be in St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery in Leroy, Minnesota with a reception to follow at the Leroy Community Center. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin is assisting the family with services.