August 22, 1932 – Saturday, February 21, 2015

Service Information
Buffalo Covenant Church, Buffalo, MN
Saturday, February 28, 2015
2:00 PM

Visitation Information
Buffalo Covenant Church, Buffalo, MN
Saturday, February 28, 2015
1:00 P.M.

Arlene Jeannette (Melvie) Nord, age 82, died on February 21, 2015 at the Cottagewood Senior Community Memory Care home in Buffalo, Minnesota where she had lived for the past year.

Arlene was born on August 22, 1932, in Viking, Minnesota to Tobias and Olga Melvie. She and her twin brother, Arnold, were born prematurely at the family farm, into a family that would ultimately include 10 siblings. Against the odds, she and Arnold would become healthy children. Arlene graduated from High School in Newfolden, MN in 1952. She went to work as a secretary at a grain elevator in Thief River falls for a while.

She soon felt her calling to become an elementary teacher and went to one year of teacher training in Thief River Falls. She loved that year of training, especially the art work. Her first teaching job was at a one room country school northeast of Thief River Falls. She was living in Thief River Falls with her mother at the time. Her next teaching job was in Viking where she taught fifth and sixth grade. From there she went to Warroad to teach for 2 years. Throughout her life, the artistic side of Arlene would add a special touch to her many roles. From creating colorful bulletin boards at school to decorating her home for holidays to making homemade birthday cakes for her family, she enjoyed sharing her creative flair with others.

The church family was also important to Arlene and she would serve as Sunday School teacher to a multitude of kids over many years. As a Vacation Bible School teacher in a church near to home, Arlene would meet Earle Nord whom she would marry in 1965. The Nords would move to the Twin Cities area to begin raising their children, settling in Buffalo, Minnesota in 1976.

Continuing her love for teaching, Arlene would serve as a Teacher’s Aide in several schools in and around Buffalo. She also devoted much of her time at Buffalo Covenant Church to teaching Sunday School and serving as the volunteer funeral reception coordinator.

Arlene was devoted to her family. She loved to have family around the dinner table as often as possible, cooking for them and celebrating every milestone, especially with the grandkids she adored. From a young age, Katelynn, her oldest granddaughter, enjoyed helping her grandma bake cookies. Over the last few years, Arlene spent many days visiting her husband at Park View Care Center. Her last year was spent at the Cottagewood Senior Community Memory Care home, where the outstanding staff would take great care of her until her final day.

Arlene is survived by two sons, Brian (Kristin) Nord and Allen Nord; two daughters, Cindy (Scott) Purser and Angie Nord; sisters Ruth (Larry) Bjorsness, Margaret Peterson, Lorraine (Russell) Anderson, Doris (Rodney) Anderson, and Claudia (Leif) Hartmark; brother Lloyd (Sharon) Melvie; grandchildren, Katelynn, Hannah, Kalah, and Josiah; many nieces, nephews and friends.

Arlene was preceded in death by husband, John Earle Nord, brothers Lawrence and Arnold Melvie, sister Helen Englestad and daughter-in-law Donna Nord.

Funeral services will be held at the Buffalo Covenant Church on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at 2 p.m. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service.

Interment will be at The Swedish Mission Cemetery in Buffalo, Minnesota.