Arlene Louise Van Galder Williams was born July 30, 1945 to Carl and Reitha Osborn Van Galder at the Stafford District Hospital. She was raised on her family homestead in Hudson as an only child. She attended 1st-12th grade at Hudson school and graduated in 1963.
After graduation Arlene attended Fort Hays State University and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Elementary Education and Music in 1967.
Her first teaching position in 1967 was that of an itinerant teacher for the elementary school in Bluff City, Kansas teaching music, Eagle, Kansas and Plainview, Kansas where she taught Music in all grades. In 1968 Arlene accepted a full-time Kindergarten teaching position at Anthony Elementary in Anthony, Kansas where she spent the following 18 years. While teaching kindergarten Arlene continued to work toward and earned her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education in 1971.
Arlene met Gary Williams in 1973 and the two were married in April of 1974. The marriage produced two children Carlen Williams and Victoria (Williams) deSousa. In 1983, Arlene moved back to Stafford, Kansas and substitute taught for one year before accepting a full-time itinerant Special Education-Gifted position for Stafford, St. John, Hudson, and Macksville, Kansas from 1984-1990.
While in Stafford, Arlene was heavily involved with Trinity Church in Hudson as piano/organist, choir director, and community theatre. Arlene spent every summer from 1984-1998 teaching at Fort Hays State University and holding two sessions of camp for the Gifted and Talented Students from across the Midwest. In 1990-1991 Arlene accepted and taught at Fort Leavenworth Middle/High School in Leavenworth, Kansas. She truly loved teaching on the Military base but needed to be closer to her mother, Reitha, and moved in 1991 to Phillipsburg, Kansas.
Arlene spent the following 22 years working for the North Central Special Education Unit based in Glade, Kansas and traveled to Osborn, Plainville, Stockton, Logan, and Phillipsburg, Kansas as the itinerant Gifted Facilitator. While in Phillipsburg Arlene had the great pleasure to direct multiple school plays, assistant coach the Forensics team, coach the Scholars Bowl team for Phillipsburg High, create the spelling lists for the county spelling bee competition, participate in the Community Cantata, play the piano and organ at the Methodist Church in Phillipsburg and play cafeteria monitor at Phillispburg Middle school.
Her phenomenal teaching career ended after 47 years of dedicated service to Education. Of her many accolades her greatest accomplishments in life included being invited to attend the Worlds Conference for Gifted and Talented Students in Europe in the summer of 1985, received her 50-year pin for Eastern Star in 2013, mother of two, grandmother of seven and great grandmother of one. Arlene is survived by her son Carlen Williams of Hays, Kansas, his three daughters, one son, and one great grandchild.
Additionally, she leaves behind her daughter Victoria (Williams) deSousa, husband Joseph deSousa of Punta Gorda, FL including their three sons. Arlene was proceeded in death by her parents Carl and Reitha Van Galder, step father Clarence Alpers, two step brothers, two grandsons, and her very special Scooter dog.
She will be forever remembered for her ability to fill a room with laughter, dedication to her family, and consummate teacher till the end.