Arlene Genevieve Kalmbach

Arlene Genevieve Kalmbach, 81, longtime Moses Lake resident, passed away Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008, at her daughter's home in Kennewick. Memorial graveside service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Ephrata Cemetery. Memorial services will follow at 1 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Moses Lake with Pastor Robert Kenyan officiating. Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel & Crematory, Moses Lake. You may sign the guest book or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com. Viewing will take place at Kayser's Chapel of Memories on Thursday, Oct. 30 from noon until 7 p.m. and Friday morning from 8 a.m. until noon.

Arlene was born on Sept. 24, 1927, on a farm near Northgate, Saskatchewan, Canada to the late Anna Josephine Mellom and Goodman Joakim Norwick. She was baptized on Nov. 6, 1927, at Kopperud Lutheran Church and was later confirmed by Pastor Wesley Anderson in Northgate, N.D. Arlene was raised and educated in North Dakota graduating from Kenmare High School in 1945. She attended business college in Minot, N.D.

On Sept. 1, 1946, she married Herbert Harland Kalmbach at the Nazarene Church in Kenmare, N.D. The couple moved to Washington state in 1952.

Arlene worked as a secretary at Grant Elementary School in Ephrata from 1959 until 1969. They moved to Colville, Wash., where she worked for the Kettle Falls School District until 1973. They moved back to the Columbia Basin and made Moses Lake their home. She started a new job at Big Bend Community College in the purchasing department for a few short months, then was offered the position of secretary to the vocational education director. In 1987 she retired after 21 years with Washington State Education. Mr. Kalmbach passed away Sept. 19, 1986. Arlene was an active member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church and served in the ILCW, Bible Study and Caring Hearts organizations. In earlier years she served as a Sunday school teacher at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ephrata.

She was also active in TOPS and Sons of Norway. She enjoyed square dancing, clogging, and oil painting.

Arlene is survived by her son Steven (Kelly) Kalmbach of Kennewick, two daughters Sheri (Bob) Adkinson of Kennewick, and Kim (Stephen) Graddon of Federal Way, Wash.; nine grandchildren, Joel and Jason (Courtney) Dirks, Tony (Crystal) and Morgan Kalmbach, Matt (Becky) McGregor, Kari (Phil) Kauffman, Stephen, Joseph and Adrienne Graddon; four great-grandchildren, Emma McGregor, Lily Kalmbach, Isaac and Grace Kauffman; a brother, Milo (Barbara) Norwick of Custer, S.D., two sisters, Lillian (Neal) Lucke and Nona (Evald) Sielaff-Leaf, all of Moses Lake; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Lyle and Don Norwick and a grandson, Michael Kalmbach.