Arlene Brandt

Arlene Brandt, 96, of New Providence, passed away Jan. 20, 2026 at the Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames.

Lois Arlene (Whitehead) Brandt was born Feb. 20, 1929 to J. Clarence and Agnes (Rose) Whitehead on a farm south of New Providence. Her family lived on farms southwest and south of New Providence. Then they moved to a farm down on the Marshall County line where she lived during her school years. She attended Honey Creek Church, Sunday School and Bible School. Arlene graduated from the New Providence Community School in 1946. She attended Iowa State College and Ellsworth Jr. College, working during the summer for Hartman Motors and worked there for a couple of years. Then Arlene moved to Marshalltown, attended Central Iowa Business College, and worked part-time for a couple of businesses before working for Willards full-time.

She married Merlyn Brandt Feb. 10, 1952. They lived on a farm southwest of New Providence and farming became their way of life. Arlyn and Merlyn had two girls, Gwendalyn Arlene Brandt and Paula Jean Brandt. Arlene enjoyed the farm, gardening, raising Broilers and helping Merlyn in the fields. She liked to sew and Hardanger became her real hobby. She continued to live on the farm for ten years after Merlyn passed away. She really enjoyed those years of helping with the Community Breakfast at the Soda Fountain Café, even after she moved to Northcrest in Ames in September of 2009, she would come back as often as she could. Alene is survived by her daughters Gwen Brandt of Nevada, Iowa and Paula (Nate) O’Connell of Firestone, Colorado; along with several cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her father in 1978, mother in 1998, husband Merlyn in 1999 and sister Dolores in 2025. Let us give thanks to God for the life and memory of Lois Arlene Brandt.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Renewal Community, Inc. and the New Providence Veterans Memorial.

A memorial service was set for Monday, Jan. 26, at 11 a.m. at the Honey Creek New Providence Friends Church in New Providence with burial in the East Lawn Memorial Gardens in Eldora.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Roundhouse Renewal Community, Inc. or the New Providence Veterans Memorial.

For more information and online condolences, go to ww.boekefuneralhomes.com

Boeke Funeral Home of Hubbard is caring for Arlene and her family.