Oct. 20, 1934 — March 28, 2019

After a long battle with Alzheimer’s, Arlene’s spirit left her body on March 28, 2019. She was born on Oct. 20, 1934, in Saginaw, Michigan.

Arlene lived in Niles since 1964 where she raised four children with her husband, Paul. She earned a BFA in Fine Arts from Indiana University South Bend.

Arlene was active in volunteering all her life including Meals on Wheels, Pawating Hospital in Niles and most recently volunteering for many years for Hospice at Home, interviewing patients and writing their life stories for surviving family members. She was an accomplished writer, publishing two books, “A Journey of Healing” and “Footprints in India.”

Arlene traveled extensively with her husband, Paul, visiting 45 countries and five U.S. possessions. She also traveled twice to India on a spiritual journey with friends, the subject for her last book.

Arlene was a very talented artist, working in several mediums including drawing, painting and silkscreen and she was a skilled pianist.

Arlene was very active with Sacred Waters in South Bend. In her later years, she and her husband split their time in a second home in Sierra Vista, Arizoana, where she was active with a writer’s group and also in her church there.

Arlene was devoted to her family and is survived by her husband of 64 years, Paul

Van Belle, four children, Paulette Lane, Kristina Thompson, Dirk (Shelly) Van Belle, and Jeff (Tina) Van Belle, 11 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren and her brother, Gerald (Patricia) Urick along with several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Harry Piesel and three grandchildren, Aaron Van Belle, Lauren Lane and Carter Lane.

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and aunt. Family always came first for her. There will be a visitation and memorial service on April 20, 2019, at Brown Funeral Home 521 E.Main St., Niles. Visitation starts at 2 p.m., service at 3 p.m. Charitable donations may be made in her memory to “Breath of Life Haiti” that benefits the lives of children at PO Box 1792 Warsaw, IN 46581.

Memories of Arlene may be shared with her family at BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Niles.