Arlene Dorothy Roeber Farrey passed away on June 3, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after 89 fulfilling years. Loved ones remember her as creative, hands-on, and dedicated to her family. Arlene was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Loren Farrey. She is survived by three children, five grandchildren, one sister, and many friends.
Arlene and her twin sister Arlyss were born in Minneapolis on February 8, 1937, to Alma Peterson Roeber, a first-generation Swedish-Norwegian-American, and Paul Roeber, a recent immigrant from Denmark. Big brother Paul Clifford (age 12) welcomed them into their home in Brooklyn Heights.
Growing up, Arlene and Arlyss (usually a pair and often dressed alike) played outside with cousins and neighbors in all weather. They were active in Junior Achievement, Luther League at Calvary Lutheran Church, and 4-H, earning ribbons at the Minnesota State Fair. Arlene excelled in sports throughout her life and was named “Most Athletic” in the 1955 graduating class at Robbinsdale High School.
Arlene attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, for two years before transferring to George Washington University in Washington, DC. She spoke fondly of her time in the DC area, where she lived with her Aunt Eva and Uncle Floyd “Pete” Peterson. Arlene commuted to GWU with her uncle and a US Army general (senior advisors to President Eisenhower), sprinting to her classes after arriving at the White House. Always the athlete, Arlene took advantage of opportunities to try new sports, playing on the university field hockey club team and competing in archery. After graduation, she taught physical education at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Maryland.
Arlene then returned to the midwest, where she taught physical education in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and took summer classes at UW-Madison. While in Madison, Arlene attended the Fourth of July fireworks, where she met Loren, her future husband. Arlene and Loren married in 1965 and spent one year in Wyoming before moving to Wrightstown, Wisconsin, a suburb of Green Bay. There, Arlene became a lifelong Packers fan.
Arlene and Loren welcomed two daughters while living in Wrightstown: Ellen (born 1967) and Ruth (1968). The family then moved to Mineral Point, Wisconsin, in 1968, where they welcomed son Steve in 1971. Arlene was active in the community, including her children’s activities (Girl Scouts and 4-H) and Hope Lutheran Church.
Upon moving to Mineral Point, Arlene and Loren bought a vintage 1900 Victorian home that required a full renovation. While caring for three small children, Arlene refinished wood trim, mastered plaster repair, and developed a lifelong love of woodworking. From this point until well into her 80s, Arlene maintained a full wood shop. Motivated by this new passion (and some open time when Steve began kindergarten), Arlene returned to college at UW-Platteville to study industrial arts education. She earned a second bachelor’s degree at age 40 and began teaching woodworking, metals, and auto repair in Mineral Point. Ellen and Ruth were among the students in her middle school classes that covered machine tools and several kinds of welding.
In 1980, the family moved to Pardeeville, Wisconsin. Arlene worked as a substitute teacher, served as a 4-H club leader, judged Columbia Country Fair entries, and mentored young woodworkers throughout the county. She also expanded her talents by acquiring more advanced woodworking tools.
As they entered retirement, Arlene and Loren designed a custom “age in place” home that they built on a scenic lot in Mineral Point, purchased decades earlier. Before beginning construction, they harvested walnut trees to use for special projects. Inside the home, they finished the wood trim themselves and set up Arlene’s wood shop in the basement. Arlene reconnected with friends from her earlier time in Mineral Point and took up new hobbies including water aerobics.
Throughout her life, Arlene actively supported Loren’s interests in Wisconsin mining history, including attending mining conventions across the US. The couple also traveled to visit relatives in Sweden and the UK, often bringing extended family on the trips to share heritage and laughter.
After Loren’s death in 2020, Arlene downsized their Mineral Point house by gifting to others, including her tools and handcrafted furniture. She moved to Edina, Minnesota, in 2022 to be close to her daughter Ruth. In Minnesota, she kept up with her sister Arlyss and many friends through regular phone calls, watched the Packers and any and all University of Wisconsin sporting events (women’s volleyball was her favorite), shared stories with her new neighbors over meals, and coordinated Friday-night dominoes. She showed each visitor her custom crafted furniture, including the walnut headboard she built at age 75.
Arlene is survived by her three children Ellen Farrey-Goudreau (Mark), Ruth Murphy (Lawrence), and Steve Farrey (Sandy); five grandchildren Claire Goudreau, Sylvie Goudreau, Julia Murphy, Michael Murphy, and Thomas Goudreau; sister Arlyss Becker (Ray); and many cousins and friends.
A funeral for Arlene was held in Minneapolis on June 19. A private burial service will take place at the Primitive Methodist Church outside Leadmine, Wisconsin, on October 3. Friends are invited to attend a luncheon celebrating Arlene’s life following the burial. The event will be held at Orchard Lawn in Mineral Point; contact Ruth (Farrey) Murphy via Facebook for more details.