Arleen McLane

ARLEEN IRION MCLANE On Wednesday, May 17, 2017, Arleen Irion McLane died at home in Chico in the company of family. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, June 17, 2 pm at Aldersgate UMC in Chico, 2869 Cohasset Road. Pastor J. Scott Allred will preside. Interment will be at Mount Shasta Memorial Park, Sunday, June 18, 2017 Arleen Caroline Irion was born in Phoenix, Arizona on March 17, 1928, to Ruby and Fred Irion, the youngest of three to sister Huela and brother Klein. She grew up on the family dairy farm, working each day in the dairy before and after school. Arleen attended Creighton Elementary School and graduated from Phoenix High School in 1946. She was active in the Creighton Methodist Church from childhood. While in high school, Arleen attended the Arizona-Southern California Methodist Youth Conference where she learned about a summer job working on a mobile Methodist Camp Kitchen that traveled to different Methodist campgrounds to cook and serve food for summer youth camps. In 1947, Arleen became a summer staff member on the Camp Kitchen; this is where she met her future husband, George (Mac) McLane, Camp Kitchen director. Arleen said many times, "The best way to get to know someone is to work with them shoulder-to-shoulder, day-in, day-out for six weeks." She knew at the end of that first summer that Mac was someone with which she wanted to create a life long relationship. At the end of the second summer on the camp kitchen, Mac asked Arleen to be his wife. They were engaged for 21 months and saw each other 19 days total, as Mac went to Garrett Biblical Institute in Evanston, Illinois, while Arleen finished her education degree at Arizona State College in Tempe. Both graduated in 1950. Arleen and Mac were married in Phoenix on June 12, 1950, in a double wedding with her sister, Huela Irion, and her fiancé, Harry Webber. They began their married life in Oakland, CA, as Mac began his pastorship in the N. California-Nevada Methodist Conference as pastor-onspecial-appointment to Goodwill Industries, as well as Assistant Pastor at St. Stephen's Methodist Church in Oakland. Arleen began her teaching career in Oakland, but soon stopped when she became pregnant with their first child, Herbert Allan. Their second child, Beth Anne, arrived 15 months later. Arleen and Mac moved their family to Pleasant Hill in 1953 where three more children were born in the next four years: Jane Marie, Paul Frederick, and Stephen Foster. From 1959-1966, the family was in Point Arena where Mac was appointed to serve as pastor to three churches on the Mendocino Coast: Point Arena's Saint Paul's Methodist Church, Point Arena Air Force Radar Station, and Elk Greenwood Methodist Church. As kindergarten was not provided in the public school at that time, Arleen started a kindergarten class for children of the church. Active in the church as a Sunday school teacher, Arleen also was a 4-H youth leader for cooking and sewing. From 1963-1966, Arleen returned to teaching primary grades at the Point Arena Elementary School. In the summer of 1963, the family attended Sierra Camp Farthest Out (CFO), attending that family camp for over 10 years and starting a 54-year relationship with CFO. The family moved to Yuba City in February 1966 where Mac became pastor at Grace Methodist Church. In 1968, they moved to Biggs, where Mac served at the pastor for both Biggs United Methodist Church and Princeton United Methodist Church. Arleen taught in the Biggs Unified School District from 1968-1983. She taught 4th and 5th grades at Biggs Elementary, 4th/5th/6th combo classes at Richvale Elementary, and completed her teaching career in Kindergarten at Biggs Elementary School. Arleen and Mac moved to Chico in 1978 when Mac retired. She continued teaching for 5 years and then retired from teaching so she and Mac could enjoy trips to Europe, New Zealand, Australia and Fiji, as well as traveling the U.S. in their motorhome. Most importantly, she was able to be at the births of her grandchildren, spending time with the new families during the early months of their lives—just as her mother-in-law, Florence McLane, had done for her. Both Arleen and Mac were active in Aldersgate UMC and the CFO camps. They, along with other Sierra CFO members, started the Shasta CFO at the Shasta UMC camp. Arleen was a regional CFO representative to the National Association of Camps Farthest Out for 10 years. She was active in the Aldersgate UMC, leading bible study classes well into her 80's. Arleen filled her life with family and friends, touching all with her unconditional love, acceptance, respect, affection, and support. She is survived by her five children: Herbert McLane, wife Susie, of Mount Shasta; Beth McLane Wichmann, husband Gregg, of Santa Clara; Jane McLane Fackler, husband Jim, of Seattle; Paul McLane, wife Christine, of Chantilly, VA, and Stephen McLane of Chico. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Johanna McLane Holte of Newark, CA; Janelle McLane Sluys of San Diego; Dylan McLane Mize of Chico; Laurel McLane of Mt. Shasta; Josephine McLane of Chantilly, VA; and Andrew McLane of Dusseldorf, Germany; and two greatgrandchildren: Esme' and Kieran Holte of Newark, CA. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews on both sides of the family. She was preceded in death by husband, George (Mac) McLane, in 2003, her father in 1986, and her mother in 1949. Memorial gifts may be sent to the Aldersgate UMC, Methodist Mt. Shasta Camp, Shasta District Methodist Missions, 572 Rio Lindo, #101 Chico, CA 95926; Pacific Redwoods Family Camp Scholarship Fund, 44431 S. El Macero Dr., El Macero, CA 95618; Habitat for Humanity, 121 Habitat Street, Americus, GA 31709; or Spirit In Action, PO Box 3384, Santa Cruz, CA 95063.