of Little Rock, AR

February 26, 1934 - July 9, 2025

Arlene Kuehling LaGrone passed from this life on July 9, 2025. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1934 to Edna (Niebling) and Arthur Kuehling. She attended Vandalia Elementary in Vandalia, MO; Shenandoah Elementary, Susan R. Buder Elementary and Southwest High in St. Louis and graduated from Carr Central High School in Vicksburg, MS. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Texas State College for Women (now Texas Woman's University) in Denton, TX.

After college, she worked for DeGolyer and MacNaughton Oil Consultants in Dallas, TX for over 4 years, before meeting and marrying Mitch LaGrone. They moved to Mitch's hometown of Hope, AR and opened LaGrone Insurance and Realty Agency. Arlene and Mitch moved to Little Rock in 2001 to be nearer to their children and grandchildren. They became members of Trinity United Methodist Church and belonged to the Searchers Sunday School Class. They moved to Maumelle in 2005 and later became members of St. James United Methodist Church of Little Rock and the New Challenges Sunday School Class. In 2017 they returned to Little Rock and settled in Parkway Village.

As a child Arlene loved to play with paper dolls, listen to music on the radio and build snow forts. She became a rabid Cardinals baseball fan as a teen, listening to every game on the radio. She knew every player's batting average and kept score on a homemade scorecard. She and her sister learned to swim at the YWCA and taught themselves to play tennis by looking up the rules in the encyclopedia.

After marrying and starting a family in Hope, Arlene became a charter member and the first treasurer of Beryl Henry Elementary PTA and a Cub Scout den mother. She served many roles in the First United Methodist Church, including Administrative Board, Sunday School and VBS teacher, Building Committee treasurer and setup and maintained the church library. She served as a board member for the Hempstead County Library, treasurer of the Rose Hill Cemetery board, charter member and treasurer of the Hempstead County Genealogical Society, longtime volunteer at Southwest Arkansas Regional Archives in Old Washington and volunteered in the County Clerk's office to organize and preserve vital old records. She was chosen as Hope-Hempstead County Citizen of the Year 1999-2000 by the Chamber of Commerce. Even in retirement she used her organizational skills while volunteering in the Little Rock public schools, the St. James music library and the Parkway Village library.

Since Arlene could not interest Mitch in tennis, she joined him on the golf course. They enjoyed playing in local tournaments and planning vacations around courses they wanted to play. Her favorite family vacations were spent snow-skiing in Colorado. She also traveled to Salt Lake City several times with fellow genealogy enthusiasts to research family histories. In her spare time, she was usually working on a jigsaw puzzle, knitting one of the fifty-plus lap robes and prayer shawls she completed, gardening or cheering on the Razorbacks.

In her last days she frequently reminded us ''to love others as God has loved you.''

Arlene was predeceased by her husband of 64 years; her parents and her sister, Ruth Nevels. She is survived by her children, Dean (Bonnie), Andy (Lisa), Pat, Jeanne (Kenny) De Luca; nieces, Marilyn Corley, Robin Beard, Anne Greenwood; nephew, Tim Daniels; 6 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Thursday, July 17th at 3:00 p.m. at St. James United Methodist Church, located at 321 Pleasant Valley Drive in Little Rock, Arkansas. Following the service, friends are invited to join the family for refreshments and visitation. A private burial will be held at Riverwood Memorial Gardens in Maumelle.

Memorials may be made to St. James United Methodist Church, Pfeifer Camp, Arkansas Children's Hospital or charity of choice. Any flowers should be delivered to St. James United Methodist Church.

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-Chenal Funeral Home
13801 Chenal Parkway
Little Rock, AR  72211
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com