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Arlene was born November 26th 1941, in Little Falls, MN to Alvin and Mary Ann Kahlich. She grew up on a dairy farm and graduated from Little Falls High School. While in high school, she worked part time at the Pine Edge Motel. After graduation she moved to Minneapolis where she stayed at a girls club and worked at the Lemington Hotel as a secretary in the catering department.
She met her husband, Jim, on a blind date, but he was not her date. Jim set Arlene up with one of his friends. After the date, Jim realized he made a mistake; Arlene was the one for him. So the next time Jim came to the cities he swapped dates and went out with Arlene. Jim enlisted in the Wisconsin National Guard and when he was home on leave, he took her to meet his parents in Spooner. After completing his six months training, Jim came to work in Minneapolis as a meat cutter for National Foods. During that summer they got engaged. That Fall The Wisconsin 32nd Division was activated to Fort Lewis, WA for one year. Upon returning from active duty they decided to get married. She wasn’t so sure but Jim said it was now or never. So on October 13th they got married in Little Falls, MN. Blinded by love, Jim completely forgot it was the opening of duck hunting season.
Jim and Arlene decided to move to River Falls, where Jim planned to finish his college education. Jim worked part time as a meat cutter at the Red and White grocery store in River Falls and Arlene worked there as a check out girl. After becoming pregnant, Arlene was no longer allowed to work at the Red and White and gave birth to their first daughter, Carolyn on October 15th 1963. Arlene had many jobs in River Falls including babysitting, working at the River Falls Medical Clinic and the River Falls Hospital on the night shift to make extra money to pay for Jim’s flying lessons. In 1970 they bought the Tom Thumb store in Hudson, WI where Arlene did the bookkeeping and worked in the meat market Saturday nights. She would close the store at 11pm and drove home in many blizzards in a old Mercury stick shift where the trunk could not hold luggage as it was rusted through. In 1973 they bought the Roberts grocery store in Roberts, WI where she also did the bookkeeping. In 1987 they sold the store in Hudson. Arlene worked the grocery side of the Roberts store while Jim ran the meat side.
She enjoyed traveling and toured many countries including Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. She also went on several religious pilgrimages, The El Camino de Santiago in Spain, Fatima in Portugal and Medugorje in Bosnia.
She enjoyed cooking, gardening, fishing, traveling and spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was also very involved with the Catholic Church.
Arlene is survived by her husband of 64 years, Jim Schmitz; their three children, Carolyn Lee (Jeff), Jim Schmitz, and Mike Schmitz (Shandi). She also has four grandchildren, Jeremy Lundgren (Michele), Candice Lundgren (John), Evan and Lauren Schmitz; 2 great grandchildren, Mariah and Ella; her sisters, Barbra Kahlich DeRosier, Ruth Perryman and Mary Kellerhals; and many nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 11:00AM at St. Bridgit Catholic Church (211 E Division St) River Falls, Wisconsin with visitation starting at 9:00AM. Interment will be in Kinnikinnick Cemetery.
Arrangements are with Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services.
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