Arlene Marie Van Luchene Sexe, 84, passed away peacefully on July 25, 2022, at Benefis Peace Hospice after a valiant battle with cancer.
Arlene was born to Frank and Anna Van Luchene in a doctor’s office on July 17, 1938, in McCabe, Montana. As a young girl, she was raised on a farm in Park City, Montana with her older brother, Richard. The family moved to Billings when she was in the sixth grade, and she graduated from Billings Senior High School in June 1956.
Arlene met Elmer A. Sexe in the sixth grade, and they went on to become high school sweethearts. Arlene and Elmer were married in Billings on November 15, 1956. They had three children, Sheryl (Terry) Spalinger of Helena, Doug (Sara) Sexe of Great Falls, and Dennis (Dianne) Sexe of Great Falls. Arlene had seven grandchildren, Katie (Curtis) Madsen of Helena, Cory (McKenzie) Spalinger of Liberty Lake, Washington, Allison (Dan) Morris of Great Falls, Payton Sexe of Great Falls, Tyler Sexe, Shantelle Sexe, and Levi Sexe. She also welcomed great- grandchildren including Declan, Ellee, and Rubee Spalinger, and Finley and Olivia Morris.
Arlene and Elmer moved from Billings to Great Falls in the summer of 1969. Together they owned and operated the Husky Oil Bulk Plant for 15 years. Throughout the years of raising a family, she enjoyed numerous camping and fishing excursions to the Gates of the Mountains at Holter Lake and many snowmobiling trips to Kings Hill, Lincoln, Cooke City, and Yellowstone National Park.
After Elmer’s sudden death in June 1984, Arlene sold the Husky Oil Bulk Plant. She then worked at Anthony’s Clothing Store and the United States Marshals Service for brief periods, the Immediate Care of Great Falls for 10 years and was a teacher’s aide at Lincoln Elementary School for a year. After she retired, she provided loving day care to her grandchildren, Allison and Payton. She later volunteered at the Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders Clinic, helping children with speech therapy.
A highlight for Arlene was taking her family to Hawaii in August 1978. She often reminisced about those memories and returned to Hawaii on another family trip in 2015. In the interim, she also traveled through Europe for a month with her brother, Dick and his wife, Rosa where their visit included Belgium and Denmark, her parents’ homelands. Arlene was an avid walker and spent many early mornings walking with friends along the River’s Edge Trail on the Missouri River. After she moved to the Iris Senior Living, she walked daily when she was able around the neighborhood. She was also an active member of Bethel Lutheran Church.
Arlene was a very hard worker as she would always say, “I worked my whole life.” She was a pillar of strength, always positive and smiling. Arlene found joy in maintaining her pristine yard, often trimming shrubs or tending to roses. She was very proud of her home and family. She was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother - a life well lived.
The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the staff of the Iris Senior Living, and all of Arlene’s doctors, caregivers, and the staff at Benefis Sletten Cancer Institute and Peace Hospice. While at Peace Hospice, she said that her “next stop was paradise.”
A celebration of life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 29, 2022, at Bethel Lutheran Church (1009 18th Avenue Southwest, Great Falls, Montana).
Memorials can be made to Bethel Lutheran Church, Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders Clinic, Benefis Foundation, or an organization of the donor’s choice.
