Arlene M. Lange

Arlene Reichmuth Lange, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, died on August 1, 2024, at Avera Doughtery Hospice House in Sioux Falls, SD. She was 86 years old. 

Arlene Reichmuth Lange was born on September 15, 1937, in Ortonville, MN, to Vera Eger Reichmuth and Theodore Reichmuth. As a child, Arlene loved playing with her sister and brothers. She rode bikes every day. Her father was the manager of the local grain elevator, and her mother owned and operated a restaurant. Arlene often helped out at the family business. Chokio was a small town with a population of 500. She attended the Chokio school from kindergarten to the twelfth grade. She graduated at the top of her class as Valedictorian. 

Following graduation from high school, Arlene attended nursing school at McAllister College in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  After graduation, she worked at Northwestern hospital in Minneapolis for three years, after which she joined the Air Force. Her career in military service took her to Tinker Air Force base in Oklahoma where she was trained as a flight nurse.  It was there that she met and married her first husband, Earl Buckmaster. They were married in Chokio, Minnesota in 1962.  Their first son, Scott, was born in 1963. In the coming years, two more children were added to the family, Kristin Buckmaster Snyder and Bradley Buckmaster. 

After the ending of her first marriage, Arlene moved back to her home in Minnesota and navigated life as a single mother. These years were certainly not easy. At the age of 38, Arlene met Vince Lange. Arlene’s sister, Marlys, kept telling her about a single man she thought Arlene would enjoy getting to know. They  met at a Fourth of July Party in southwestern Minnesota at her brother in law Richard’s family farm.  Arlene impressed Vince with her homemade fried chicken, as she was an excellent cook and baker.  They were married April 26, 1975 and Arlene, Scott, Kristin, and Brad moved to Vince’s farm in rural Balaton, MN. 

At age 49, having lived as a bachelor for the majority of his life, it must have been a shock for Vince to suddenly have a wife and three children living in his farmhouse! But Vince changed the trajectory of Arlene’s life, helping her move from the life of a struggling single mother to the life of a thriving farm wife and mom. 

The years on the farm were some of the happiest in Arlene’s life. Although her mom had told her to pretend she didn’t know how to drive so she wouldn’t have to drive a tractor, Arlene actually found much joy in driving the tractors and trucks around the farm. The children loved to ride their bikes and motorcycles, play outside for hours, and tend to the cats and dog, truly living an idyllic childhood life. 

The Lange family also enjoyed vacationing together.  One trip they especially enjoyed was to Disney World while the children were in high school. The kids convinced Arlene to ride the most twirly and fast rollercoaster in the whole place. She was terrified throughout the whole ride and vowed to never get on another roller coaster. 

In 1990, after all the children had grown and moved out, Vince and Arlene retired from the farm life and began the next phase of life. They spent their summers in the South Dakota Park systems living in state parks, with the majority of their time spent in Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Arlene worked at the east gate entrance booth, having the opportunity to meet the many tourists who would come through the park. They spent their winters in Weslaco, TX in a retirement community with many good friends. Their days were filled with swimming, playing shuffleboard and cards, eating at their favorite restaurants, and just enjoying the warmth of Texas. They eventually settled in Sioux Falls, SD to be near their daughter Kristin. 

Throughout her life, Arlene loved to sing. She found happiness in singing in her church choir at Spirit of Joy church in Sioux Falls, her church in Russell, MN, in their church in Texas, and in the choir at Legends on Lake Lorraine.   She loved to volunteer with her church in Minnesota with the women’s ministry groups. She also loved gardening and had a large garden every summer. She canned many delicious vegetables and loved cooking for her family. Every Sunday she cooked a delicious dinner of roast and potatoes that was enjoyed after church. She made cinnamon rolls or other baked goods every Saturday while the kids were growing up. Vince and Arlene also loved to travel together and have visited many different countries. 

Arlene lived a full and happy life with many wonderful memories with her husband, children, grandchildren, and many friends. She was loved by many and will be greatly missed. 

Grateful for having shared her life are her husband, Vincent F. Lange of Sioux Falls, SD; sister, Marlys Yotter of Lee Summit, MO; brother, Doug Reichmuth (Judy) of Apple Valley, Minnesota; sons, Brad and Scott Buckmaster of Sioux Falls, SD; daughter, Kristin Snyder (Craig) of Sioux Falls, SD; 6 grandchildren; and 8 great-grandchildren. Arlene is preceded in death by her parents, Vera and Theodore Reichmuth, and her brother, Rodney “Butch” Reichmuth.