Arletta Allen Dailey

Arletta Allen Dailey, 87, of Rapid City, SD passed away November 29, 2015 after complications from a fall in her apartment. She will be forever remembered as a generous and faithful servant of the Lord, giving support and aid in any way she could.Arletta was born April 11, 1928 to Fred and Alys Allen and grew up in Strool, SD. At 13 she moved to Lemmon, SD, on her own to attend high school. After high school, she continued her education by obtaining a diploma in Secretarial Science from National School of Business. Many years later, Arletta went on to achieve a bachelor’s degree in Secretarial Science from the National College of Business in 1980 while working full time. Arletta married Earl Joseph Dailey on March 7, 1948. They were married for 62 years when Earl passed away in 2010. They were blessed with three children – Bill, Carol and Stephanie. Arletta also had a professional life. Once her youngest was in school, she started working, which lead her to a career for many years as the Registrar of the National College of Business until she retired in 1990. After retirement she started a new career as a volunteer reading to elementary children for close to 20 years. She was very active in the Presbyterian Women’s organizations and was a constant source of supplies to charities such as Church Response, Women and Children’s Shelter, Working Against Violence, Inc (WAVI) and the Mission.Arletta will be remembered for her love and dedication to her family and friends, and also for the care and attention she paid to those many others in need that entered her life. She loved hosting parties as well as going to family and friends’ homes for holidays, parties or to simply play cards. Her award winning baked goods were a special gift to all that experienced them. She enjoyed baking and delivering her baked goods until her final days. Arletta learned to sew as a girl on the prairie, and she sewed clothes and quilts throughout her life. Arletta was a poet and chronicled her life, her awe and love for others and her thoughts in prose and verse.Arletta is survived by her three children: William Dailey (Alexis) of Mount Pleasant, MI, Carol Longden (Gordie) of Rapid City, SD, Stephanie Lane (Tom) of Fort Collins, CO; five grandchildren: Barry Longden (Rapid City, SD), Brandi Longden (Gillette, WY), Brenna Longden (Rapid City, SD), Sam Lane (Rapid City, SD) and Madisen Lane (Fort Collins, CO); sisters Joyce Morey (Tifton, GA) and Ardeth Weisanen (Deadwood, SD) and several nephews and nieces and their families, whom she loved as her own. Arletta was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Alys Allen, her husband, Earl Dailey, her sisters Gwen Buer and Maxine Kilmer and her brother, Sam Allen.We will so miss you beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend – especially the smell of baked goods coming down the hall.