Arlis Christensen

Arlis Christensen, 91, of Wilmot, SD, passed away on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at Wilmot Care Center in Wilmot.

Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at Mundwiler Funeral Home in Milbank, SD. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Inurnment will be held at a later date. 

The service will be livestreamed and recorded and viewable below this obituary.

Arlis Jean Cardwell was born on May 19, 1933, in Wilmot, SD, to Cecil and Eva (Wunschel) Cardwell. She was baptized and confirmed at Wilmot Lutheran Church and attended school in Wilmot through the eighth grade. After completing her education, she worked various jobs. 

On November 6, 1953, Arlis married Gerald Leo Christensen in Summit, SD. The couple lived in several locations before settling on the family farm near Marvin in the early 1960s. While raising her children, Arlis was an integral part of the family farm, where she raised geese and chickens and grew cucumbers to sell. In the early 1980s, she and Gerald moved to Wilmot. Arlis then worked at Clark Nursery for 15 years. After Gerald’s passing in November 2022, she continued to live in Wilmot.

For many years, Arlis was a devoted member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Marvin until it closed. Arlis had a passion for collecting buttons and loved sharing her collection with family and friends. She enjoyed word search puzzles, was quick-witted, and loved reminiscing and telling stories. Arlis cared deeply about her community, took pride in her home, and had a special fondness for cats, often feeding the strays. She cherished her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Left to cherish her memory is her daughter, Carolyn Douglas of St. Cloud, MN; seven grandchildren: Eric Douglas, Travis Douglas, Dustin Douglas, Brittany Hoff, Courtney Christensen; Katie Mahoney; and Jamie Bouwman; 15 great-grandchildren; sisters: Mildred “Millie” Sommer of Minneapolis, MN; and Beverly Pedersen of Wilmot, SD; brother-in-law, Dale (Diane) Christensen of Watertown, SD; and many nieces and nephews.

 She was preceded in death by her parents: Cecil and Eva; beloved husband, Jerry; daughter, Cheryl; son, Steve; grandson, Butch; great-granddaughter, Hazel; brothers: Donald “Don”; Duane; Richard “Sonny”; Darrell; sisters: Marcella Lenssen, Joyce (Darwin) Thompson, Marlene (Terry) Johannsen; and brother-in-law, Chuck Pedersen.