Arlesa Kay Ronhaar, 46, died suddenly on August 22, 2005 at St. Agnes Hospital, Fresno, Calif. She was born to Robert L. and Shirley Mae (Krieg) Ronhaar in Mt. Vernon, Wash., on August 17, 1959. Her family lived in Mt. Vernon, Bellingham and Laurel for a time but made Oak Harbor their permanent home in 1963.
Arlesa attended school in Oak Harbor and was a graduate of Oak Harbor High School. Arlesa helped her parents at Soundview Shopper, their family store they opened in 1964, near Deception Pass. Arlesa began working the cash register as soon as she was able to reach the register. Arlesa’s fondest childhood memories were working the counter at the store, all of the events at the store and most of all, all of the special people and customers that came into the store.
Arlesa recalled working at the store during winter power failures and using a manual crank on the registers to stay open. She also recalled one storm taking out the power for several days and packing perishable items out into the snow near the store.
Arlesa loved working at the store. Shirley died in May of this year and Arlesa was continuing the Ronhaar heritage at Soundview Shopper. She had her two daughters, Samantha and Amy Nielsen working at the store whenever possible. Soundview has been a community center for the north end of Whidbey Island for over 40 years.
Arlesa is survived by two daughters, Samantha and Amy Nielsen of Oak Harbor, by one brother, Wayne Ronhaar and wife Susan Smith, and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Bob and Shirley Ronhaar, her grandparents, Buster and Esther (Elliott) Krieg, and an uncle Richard Krieg.
Graveside funeral services will be held at Maple Leaf Cemetery, Oak Harbor on Monday, August 29, at 10 a.m. Memorial services will follow at First Reformed Church of Oak Harbor at 11 a.m. with Pastor Jon Brown officiating.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel, Oak Harbor.