Obituary of Arlene B. Wirsig

Arlene Beryl (Wilkenson) Wirsig, 97, of Woodstock, CT, passed away on January 13, 2017. She was born on September 24, 1919, in Syracuse, NY, the daughter of Cecil F. and Clara (Newell) Wilkenson. She was predeceased by Stanley S. Wirsig, her beloved husband of 71 years, in February 2012. She is survived by their four children, Diana Rowan of Cambridge, MA; JoAnne Wasilko and her husband Charles, of Lexington, MA; Victoria Embree and her husband Craig, of Woodstock, CT; and Stanley Wirsig, Jr. and his wife Wendy, of Medfield, MA. Grandchildren include Ariana R. Bucklin, Camilla Rock, Earl Smith, Jennifer (Wasilko)Wiley, David, Christopher and Ryan Embree, and Kira and Colin Wirsig; great-grandchildren include Jennie, Rana, and Tristan Wiley, and Stella Isabel Smith. Arlene was predeceased by her brother Floyd in December 2005. Arlene was a woman of vision and action. During World War II she was a volunteer with the Red Cross Motor Corps, which transported the sick and wounded to medical services, transported nurses to and from their posts, and even taxied airplanes around the airfields. In civilian life, she worked as an executive administrator for various companies, the most recent being the Floxite Company of Niagara Falls, NY for several years before her retirement. She had a great gift for planning and organizing, and every community she lived in felt the benefits of her tireless energy. When she saw a need, she rallied others and worked to remedy the situation, spearheading and serving in many community organizations over the years. She spent 20 years with the Girl Scouts of America, rising to serve at the executive level as the years passed. She shared Stanley's interest in the restoration of the American Chestnut Tree; they were part of the group that founded the New York State Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation, and devoted much time in later years to the promotion of research into chestnut blight resistance. She had a great sense of adventure, and enjoyed traveling, both in the USA and abroad. She was an active member of the Presbyterian Church in Youngstown, NY for 38 years, before moving to Woodstock CT in 2006. Above all, she was devoted to God and her family, whom she cherished as her dearest mission in life. A memorial service is planned for February 11, 2017, at 3:00 pm at the Woodstock Evangelical Covenant Church, 24 Child Hill Rd, Woodstock, Connecticut. Arrangements are by Smith and Walker Funeral Home of Putnam, CT. (In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Arlene to the American Chestnut Foundation, 50 North Merrimon Avenue, Suite 115, Asheville, NC, 28804).