Arva Scearcy

Arva Nylene Scearcy was born on January 31, 1926, the daughter of Lewis and Ethel (Warner) Wilke in Blue Earth, Minnesota. She attended school in Blue Earth and graduated in 1944. During high school she dated a classmate, Boyd Scearcy, and they were married on May 17, 1946, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Blue Earth. They were blessed with five children: Linda, Ruth Ann, Susan, Larry, and Joann. After they were married, Boyd and Arva farmed in several areas: near Easton, Delavan, and finally settling near Huntley. Having lived in town up to this time, she had much to learn about the many tasks involved with running a farm, and Arva helped with both the field work and the care the of the animals.
Arva had a very strong work ethic and was known as a hard worker, having worked at various jobs from the time she was eleven years old. Weeding onion fields, bill collecting for her father’s freight business, and clerking in a store were some of her earlier jobs. Later she worked for a number of years at the Huntley Store and Café where she was known for her delicious pies, then on an assembly line at Telex in Blue Earth, and at Kentucky Fried Chicken in Alexandria. After retirement she was a volunteer at the Klose Kloset and the Senior Center in Alexandria. Arva believed in staying busy!
In 1951 Arva made a commitment to a personal relationship with Christ. Along with Boyd, she was baptized and became a member of Huntley Baptist Church. This was the beginning of a life-long walk with her Lord and Savior, and years of service in the churches she attended. She was involved in many areas of service, including Sunday School superintendent, youth and vacation Bible School director, Deaconess, Ladies Aid, and quilting. She was a charter member of Grace Baptist Church in Alexandria.
Arva’s relationship with Christ was very important to her. Her Bible was always in a prominent place in her home. Here she spent time each morning in private devotions and in prayer for her family.
Arva enjoyed adding beauty to her world. Flower and vegetable gardening filled many free hours, and she loved spending time outside in the garden. She also enjoyed handwork and made many beautiful hand-quilted quilts, crocheted doilies and afghans, and embroidered a variety of items. She even learned how to weave baskets and do wood crafts. In her later years she painted very detailed paint-by-number pictures which she generously gave to her family. One even won a grand champion ribbon at the county fair.
Arva enjoyed a variety of activities. Spending quiet time on the river or lake fishing was at the top of her list. She was perfectly content with a fishing pole in her hand and a can of worms at her feet. She loved to play board games and enjoyed getting together with her neighbors or with her children and grandchildren and playing for hours. Attending a Twins game was a highlight for her, and if she couldn’t go to one, she would make sure she caught the game on TV. Pretty glassware and dishes always caught her attention, and she enjoyed her many collections.
In 1984 Boyd passed away, and two years later Arva moved to Alexandria where she lived until God called her home. Giving up independent living, in 2014 she moved into Nelson Gables and several years later into Knute Nelson Care Center. Arva passed away at Knute Nelson on August 22, 2017, at the age of 91. As a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, she will be greatly missed.
Arva is survived by her five children; Linda (Jim) Bushre of Pendleton, IN; Ruth Ann (Richard) Golly of Lawrenceville, GA; Susan (Dale) Lundblad of Alexandria, MN; Larry of Little Falls, MN; and Joann of Chicago, IL; eleven grandchildren; and twenty-one great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Boyd Scearcy.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 25, 2017, 11:00 a.m. at Grace Church in Alexandria. Burial will be at Lakeside Cemetery in Fairmont. Arrangements are with the Anderson Funeral Home.