Arlene Dagmar Ydstie

On April 28, 1928, in Columbus, North Dakota, the youngest of seven born to the Mr. & Mrs. Reverend Adolph Buckneberg, Arlene Dagmar was christened with a second middle name, Genevive, by her next of kin, who was three and fascinated by the popular song.

She graduated from Augustana Academy in 1946, where her mother was a "Den Mother" after loosing their father to illness in 1938. She then attended LBI in Minneapolis, Mn for two years before transferring and graduating from Concordia College, MN, in 1952. Here,she was noted for her abilities by the director at the time, Paul Christiansen. He employed her as one of his personal student secretaries, granting her invaluable skills in music notation and arranging. Here, also, she sang in the concert choir with, unbeknownst at the time, the couple who she would later work with as Music Director to the Pastor and wife of Richland Lutheran Church, Palmer & Beverly Gedde. Additionally, a young man always attended the audience to watch her sing in the choir; the man who she would marry, Richard Ydstie.

Arlene and Richard lived in Wolverton, ND, Reedsport, Or, and Richland, Washington, as they grew their family of five children over the years: three boys and two girls. She earned her Masters In Music from Wenatchee, Washington in 1973-1974 and taught in the public schools from Benton City to Plymouth, Washington and in between, retiring from the Kennewick School District in 1990. During this time, she was active musically in the church with weekly worship, yearly festivals, and additional productions of great significance to and for the community at large.

After retirement, Richard was drawn to the Oregon Coast where they eventually relocated and enriched the communities along Clatsop County. She was a cherished organist and choir director in every church she worked from Astoria to Cannon Beach since the 1990's. She strengthened the community bonds of Seaside by directing several projects, from ecumenical children's programs to Hand Bell choir. She single-handedly kept the music program going during a time of musical lapse in the Seaside public elementary schools, to ensure the children kept up their musical education.

Arlene will not only be remembered for her incredible skills and abilities of connecting community through music, but also for her noble faith in God, and the example of unconditional Love, as witnessed in every circumstance of her life.