Arleen Bendt Bendt Westphal

Arleen Bendt Westphal, “The perfect mother”, peacefully passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, February 19, 2015 at Resolute Health Care in New Braunfels at the age of 90. Arleen loved her family, taught them strong traditions and completely gave herself to them. Friends and family are invited to Celebrate Arleen’s life at Goetz Funeral Home on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 10:00 am. Her cremated remains will be interred with her loving husband of 29 years Roland Westphal at San Geronimo Cemetery 1620 East Walnut Street, Seguin at a later date.

Arleen was born March 4, 1924 to Arthur and Adleen (Silbereisen) Bendt at her parents’ home on Kingsbury Street in Seguin Texas. She grew-up, married and raised her family within Seguin, always living within two miles of where she was born. Arleen married Roland Westphal in 1947 and together they raised their daughters until his sudden passing in 1976. When she was a young mother she worked as the church secretary at Emanuel’s Lutheran Church in Seguin. Following Roland’s passing, she raised her family as a single mother; never failing to put her family’s needs before her own. She loved to be outdoors, her favorite past time was picking up pecans which she would shell and prepare herself and then bake into banana bread and her famous chocolate chip cookies which when family and friends would visit, they would bee line to the freezer to grab some. Arleen was very traditional, loved gardening and could always come up with a home remedy to solve a problem. She was quick witted, and had a great sense of humor with which she could really dish it out. She truly was a real smarty pants. Arleen was amazing in the garden and could identify any flower presented to her. She was a big Aggie fan and enjoyed the Spurs and the Cowboys. She will fondly be remembered for her Sunday family dinners and her Honeymoon house which was built for her and Roland before they married and where she resided for the rest of her life. Arleen was a member of Emanuel’s Lutheran Church in Seguin and took great pride and joy as a member of the Emanuel’s Ladies Aide where she participated in doing birthday cards for the parishioners. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Adleen, her husband Roland in 1976, her son-in-law JC Neighbors III and her sister Evelyn Maurer.

Arleen is survived by her dedicated daughters; Judy Westphal Neighbors and Suzane Westphal Daniels and her husband Mike. Her strength will be missed by her grandchildren; Chip Neighbors; Nicki Helms and her husband Jason; Kylie Neighbors Brindis and her husband Emanuel; Jakob Daniels; Sarah Davis and her husband Eric; and Zakary Daniels. Her wit will be a great loss for her great-grandchildren Kelly, Taylor and Morgan Helms as well as her nephew David Maurer.

Donations may be made in Arleen’s memory to the American Diabetes Association.

Please visit Arleen’s online register book at www.goetzfuneral.com to share a memory with her family.

Arrangements under the direction of Goetz Funeral Home 713 North Austin Street, Seguin Texas 78155