Arline Mae Hayden, 90, of rural Crawfordsville went to heaven on May 21, 2024, having lived a full and happy life. Her last days were surrounded by family in a loving huddle.
Arline was the youngest of three daughters born to the late Earl and Emma Schooler. She graduated from Pike High School in 1951 and married her school sweetheart, Bill, on May 4, 1952. They celebrated 70 years of marriage prior to his passing, and she was very devoted to him to the very end. Together, they brought a farm back to life, grew grain, raised livestock, and four children. The oldest, Diane, preceded Arline in death.
Surviving are daughter Carol (husband David Smith) of West Lafayette; son Greg (wife Sharon) of rural Crawfordsville; and son Dan (wife Jackie) of rural Crawfordsville. Six grandkids stay in touch — Brian, Kyle, Heather, Adam, Luke, and Hannah — from far away Jacksonville, Seattle, Portland, Memphis, Cleveland, and Anchorage. Arline also loved getting to skype with great- grands, Mila and Elijah. Tightly bonded as The Schooler Girls, Arline’s sisters Mildred and Willodean preceded her in death.
Arline was Martha Stewart before Martha was cool — only without the media in tow. Arline could cook anything — even a goose, baked blue ribbon yeast breads, and preserved everything in her massive garden but the weeds. She upholstered tired furniture — four rambunctious kids, remember — and sewed everything from 50 quilts to four bridal gowns, each a work of art. Arline worked on their farm wherever she was needed — dressing chickens, putting up hay, feeding livestock, and working in the fields. She could drive anything but the bulldozer, and most of us think she could’ve taken out some serious weeds with an implement like that if given the chance.
Arline also worked off-farm jobs — secretarial, sales or finance. Her most enjoyed jobs were with Dellekamp’s Department Store, Elston Bank, Huntington Bank, and Bee Windows, from which she retired in 2002. Her days were then filled — and we’re talking-filled — with gardening, quilting, bird-feeding, jigsaw puzzles, baking Christmas cookies, and reading. She loved visits and sit-down dinners with family. Arline’s love language was homemade pizza, strawberry jam, wedding quilts, canned green beans, frozen sweet com, and so much more.
Arline was active with Whitesville Christian Church. If you sat beside her at Sunday service, she’d be glad to tell you something good God had done for her that week. She avidly studied devotions, had grown deeply in faith from her personal battle with cancer, and used this to help others deal with loss. She gave us all her last full measure of devotion. She will be dearly missed.
Visitation will be 1-2 p.m. Friday, May 24, followed by her funeral service at 2 p.m. at the Whitesville Christian Church, 3603 S. Ladoga Road, Crawfordsville. Burial then follows at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lebanon. We are so appreciative for Arline’s life.
