Leone Arendt

PIPESTONE–Leone Arendt, 86 of Pipestone, MN formerly of Cottage Grove, MN passed away on December 9, 2024 while residing at Good Samaritan Nursing home in Pipestone, MN.

Leone Therese (Hofstadter) Arendt was born on January 30th, 1938 to Leo and Louise (Ackerman) Hofstadter at the Tracy, MN hospital. Leone grew up on the family farm north of Dovary, MN and attended Country School (a one room school house). Leone attended High School at Westbrook, MN High School, graduating in 1955, she then attended and graduated from Mankato Business School.

Leone moved to Rochester, MN and worked at St. Mary’s hospital. While living in Rochester, MN she meet Frank Arendt and the two were married on July 8, 1967. Leone and Frank made their home in Hastings, MN and started their family of two sons, Andrew and Jeffrey. Leone and Frank would move to Watertown, SD in 1986 and then return to Minnesota in 1991 and reside in Cottage Grove, MN. Leone went to reside at Good Samaritan Nursing home in Pipestone, MN in January of 2014 due to memory loss from Alzheimer’s disease.

Being a Mother was a true vocation for Leone, a role she enjoyed and was deeply committed. Compassion, decency and accountability were values that guided Leone’s life and she instilled these values in her family. Leone played an important role in assisting students in overcoming learning challenges first, with her own son Andrew, and later working as a Special Education Aid for Hastings, MN School District, Watertown, SD School District and an Early Childhood Development Educational Aid in Washington County, MN School District.

Leone was a lover of nature and animals; especially her beloved dog Skipper. Leone enjoyed spending time at the family cabin on Lake Shetek where she enjoyed walking around Smith Lake and bobber fishing for bullheads. Leone also believed in the role arts play broadening our views of the world around us and shared her appreciation for arts and culture with her family. A lifelong Minnesota Twins fan Leone rarely missed listening to games on the radio.

Leone is survived by Frank, Slayton, MN, Andrew, Minong, WI, Jeffrey (Heidi), Pipestone, MN; sisters Evelyn (John) Lund, Minneapolis, MN, Mary (Ed) Sweetman, Currie, MN, and Brother Leo Hofstadter, Dovray, MN; many in-laws and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Leo and Louise Hofstadter, sisters Dolores Schmitt, Dorothy Ruppert and Darlene Farrell. Date and time of celebration of life will be posted at a later date.