Arlene Faye Hadley (Straight) quietly slipped away from this life on Saturday July 24^th, 2021 at Gunderson Lutheran Hospital. She was 79 years young. Arlene was born November 6, 1941 as the youngest of four children to Art and Lois Straight in rural Millston, Wisconsin. She attended a one room school at Paradise Valley through the 8^th grade.  After entering high school, Arlene decided school was ‘boring’ and hopped on a Greyhound bus to be with her older sister in Milwaukee. Her restless search for adventure began in her teens and remained a part of her spirit until her passing. She may have been small at 4’10” but she lived her life big with her “larger than life” personality. A ‘get together’ became a party when Arlene showed up.

Arlene was everyone’s ‘ride or die’ bestie and never met a stranger. She could talk to anybody, anywhere at anytime. She blessed this world with eight loud, outgoing, chatterbox offspring with similar personalities…and we are still multiplying! The world will always be a better place because Arlene lived her life in full color. She taught us to never be ashamed of our struggles because there are always those with a harder life. She taught us to stand up to bullies and to defend the weak. She taught us to share more and work harder. There was no such thing as quitting and that self-sufficiency created character.

Arlene was a fierce defender of her family and always cheered for the underdog. Her family was her lifelong priority and she always seemed to know what her kids were going to do…before they even did it. Arlene navigated raising 8 boisterous children with a twenty year age gap between the oldest and the youngest, without ever having a drivers license. She was resourceful, funny, courageous and kind. She was also stubborn, sassy and always right! Arlene taught us that while her spirit and legacy will remain in lives of those she touched, her soul was ready to reunite with her beloved family and friends who waited for her in heaven. She left this world with grace and dignity.

Arlene married La Verne Hadley on Oct 13, 1973. Together they raised eight children: Michelle, Lisa, Rick (Lisa), Gary (Annie), La Vonne (Jeremy), Mark (Michelle), Benjamin (Amanda) and Darlene (Raunel). She has 23 grandchildren and 3 great-grandaughters.  Arlene went to heaven to be reunited with her parents, brothers Guy and Tony, her beloved sister Shirley Bosworth, her nephews Craig and Bobby Straight, her grandson Westley James Hadley as well as numerous friends and family members. We would like to thank Gunderson Health Systems for their many years of caring for Arlene.

Visitation for Arlene will be on Friday July 30, 2021 at The Gathering Place, 133 Mason Street, Onalaska, WI 54650. Visitation will be from 9-10:30 with a short service at 10:30. We will then proceed to the Brookside Cemetery in Millston for a short graveside service followed by a luncheon at the 400 Club in Millston from 1:30 – 4. We need to make sure the gathering is completed by 4 pm so please help us honor that timeline. Also, La Verne asks that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made toward memorial bench and planter that will be placed in the Millston Park or to the Millston History Museum.