Arlene Bennett, age 86 of Grinnell, died on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at the Newton Health Care Center in Newton. A public graveside service will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 19, 2020 at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell in the Lakeview section. A public visitation will be held from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Friday, September 18, 2020 at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. Memorials may be designated to the First Presbyterian Church or to the Arlene Bennett Memorial Fund, to benefit her great grandchildren's college education funds, mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with Arlene's family online at www.smithfh.com Thelma Arlene Skellenger was born on March 3, 1934 in Greenfield, Iowa to Lester Edwin Skellenger and Faye Martha (Rivenburgh) Skellenger. She was raised on the family farm near Greenfield and graduated from Greenfield High School with the class of 1953. Arlene was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, William Claire Bennett, Jr. on June 12, 1954 at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenfield, Iowa. Their marriage was blessed with a daughter, Denise and a son, David. They resided in Reinbeck, where Bill taught vocational agriculture at Reinbeck schools for two years and at Tama schools for ten years. In 1966, they moved to Grinnell and began farming in the New Sharon area in 1967. In 1980, they began farming in the Grinnell area. They were longtime members of the First Presbyterian Church in Grinnell. Arlene held a strong love of her family and was very devoted in her faith. Her greatest enjoyments revolved around being with her family, whether it was camping, traveling, shopping, working on the farm, or holiday gatherings. Arlene will be remembered as an excellent cook, for her love of decorating for the holidays, for being organized and as referenced by the family as "the one who runs the show," and for being an amazing wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Arlene is survived by her daughter, Denise (David Sears) Bennett of Grinnell; son, David (Julie Owens) Bennett of Grinnell; grandson, Aaron (Megan) Grace of Grinnell and their children, Hunter and Wyatt; granddaughter, Lana (Tom) Sellner of Marion, Iowa and their son, Bennett; brother, Fred (Kay) Skellenger of Greenfield, Iowa; and sister-in-law, Donnelle Skellenger of Greenfield. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bill Bennett in 2019; and brother, Audra Skellenger.