Arlene Grassel, 88, Mitchell, formerly of Artesian, died Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012 at Avera Brady Health and Rehab.
Funeral services were  Monday, Sept 3 in Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Mitchell. Burial was in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Artesian. Visitation was Sunday in the Bittner Funeral Chapel with a rosary and scripture service.
Arlene was born on Jan. 28, 1924, in Sioux Falls to John and Laura (Lampson) Doyle. She grew up and went to school in Madison. She attended nurses training in Mitchell where she was fondly known as “Doyle.”
While in training, she would meet her future husband, John Grassel, to whom she would be married for 65 years. Arlene married John on May 10, 1947, in Brookings, after which they made their home on the farm north of Artesian. Arlene commuted to St. Joseph’s Hospital for two years before retiring from nursing to partner with John in building their rapidly expanding Hereford livestock business. They lived on the farm until 2009 when they moved to Mitchell.
Arlene was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church in Artesian, where she was involved with the Altar Society, volunteering for many years on the cemetery committee. Arlene will always be known for planting trees, growing tomatoes, tending her flowerbeds and watching birds from the kitchen table.
She is survived by her husband, John; daughters, Kathleen of Albuquerque, N.M., Karen (Dan) Hilgenberg of Milbank; daughter-in-law, Wanda (Dave) Grassel Clarke  of Howard; five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her children, Michael and Bernie.