On the evening of January 3, 2024, Arlene Joyce Norcutt passed on from her earthly body at 87 years of age to be in-spirit with our Lord, a moment she had been looking forward to with a joyful heart. Arlene is preceded in death by her parents, one sister, and her husband. She is survived by two sisters, three children, many grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She lived out her life spreading joy and kindness until the day she passed.

Arlene was born September 8, 1936, in Hancock, Michigan to loving parents Emily Hella and Daniel Nilsson who had emigrated from Scandinavia. Daniel changed his name to Ray Nelson after arriving in America. Arlene and her three dear sisters were raised in "the U-P" as she liked to tell people about the Upper Peninsula. While in Bible School in Pasadena, CA she met her beloved future husband, Hank Norcutt, after getting a gentle shove into the swimming pool. They were married in 1959 and went on to have three children, who they raised in Thousand Oaks before moving to their cherished little walnut ranch in Lompoc, CA. Together they always worked hard to make the ranch an oasis of hospitality, and together they now rest in the arms of our Heavenly Father.

She was a lifetime Christian missionary, never missing an opportunity to share the Good News. She was active in the Christian Women's Club and a strong advocate for the California School Project. Arlene was passionate about preserving her Swedish and Finnish heritage and was affectionately referred to as Mormor (mother's mother) and Farmor (father's mother) by her grandchildren. Though Arlene held several jobs as a phone operator, realtor, Amway distributor, and supervisor for the developmentally disabled in the community, her most fulfilling job was as a mother and homemaker.

Though Arlene's life was not without its hardships, it was marked with the everlasting joy of Jesus Christ. She had an incredible gift for making and maintaining friendships and diligently nurtured the relationships in her life with frequent phone calls, letters, notes, and homemade ice-box cookies. She had such a special way of making people feel welcome, and when you would sit down with her to have one of her "good talks", it was as if you were the only person in the world.

Faithful, friend-maker, genuine, storyteller, energetic, life of the party, finder of the good in people, awaiting heaven, lover of her grandchildren, and undisputed maker of the best Swedish pancakes - all memories of her will forever be cherished and might even generate a hearty laugh. Fortunately, we have been given a living hope, that we will see each other again and therefore we can say: goodbye Mom, Farmor, Mormor, Auntie, dear friend, sister and sister in the Lord.

A funeral service will be held for Arlene at 11 AM on January 20, 2024, at Calvary Baptist Church (3355 Constellation Road, Lompoc, 93436) followed by a lunch reception.

She will be laid to rest with her husband's ashes at 2 PM on January 22, 2024, at the Bakersfield National Cemetery.