Arlene Monroe Holden

Born on April 26, 1930, she was the daughter of Helen and Henry Troxell in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a young girl, the family, including her older sister, Alyce, moved to the greater Cleveland, Ohio area. She attended Shaker Heights High School and then Flora Stone Mather College (now Case Western Reserve University) where she majored in English and Fine Arts. She graduated with magna cum laude honors and was a member of Phi Kappa Zeta sorority.

After graduating college, Arlene married Logan Monroe Jr in 1951. Logan had served as a Lieutenant in the Air Corps and then had received a degree in horticulture from Iowa State University prior to their marriage. Arlene had a passion for art and nature and it had been Logan’s dream to start a nursery business. So, Arlene supported Logan and together they started Kingwood Nursery in Mentor, Ohio and which later moved to Madison, Ohio.

Arlene’s passions were raising their two daughters, Lerryn and Gayle, enjoying family time, her community, her faith, and nature. As a young bride Arlene’s involvements were extensive and varied while raising her girls: president of the local chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), president of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), president of the Madison Library Board of Directors, board member of the Madison and Lake County Fine Arts Associations, and involvement as a member of the Mentor and Madison Methodist churches.

Tragically, Logan died of a sudden heart attack in March of 1981 while visiting friends in Arkansas. After Logan’s death, determined to keep his dream alive, she took over the operations of the nursery. The business survived and thrived.

In 1990, Arlene found love again and married Arthur Holden. Together Arlene and Arthur became deeply involved in supporting and actively participating with many community organizations including the Cleveland Clinic, the Holden Arboretum, the YMCA, Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Art Museum, Cleveland Botanical Gardens, the Cleveland Playhouse, Grand River Partners, Lake County Historical Center, the Chautauqua Institution, and Lakeland Community College (which later opened the Arthur and Arlene Holden University Center in collaboration with 5 other universities).

In 2004, Arlene’s beloved daughter, Lerryn, tragically lost her life to cancer and during that same year Arlene also faced a personal battle with breast cancer. Through this difficult time, her faith, friends, and community involvements kept her strong.

In 2008, after 17 years of marriage, sadly Arthur passed away. Ever resilient, Arlene then moved to The Woodlands, Texas where her daughter, Gayle, resides. In 2021, Gayle battled breast cancer. To honor her daughters, Arlene established “The Sister Funds” at MD Anderson, four endowed funds to support cancer research and patient wellness initiatives.

Late in life, Arlene once again found love and married Pete Loftin in 2012. They shared a wonderful short-lived marriage. Sadly, Pete passed away in 2014.

Arlene is predeceased by her mother, Helen Arble Troxell, and father, Henry Troxell, sister, Alyce Sisler (Cass), and husbands Logan Monroe Jr, Arthur S. Holden, and Pete Loftin.

Arlene is survived by her daughter, Gayle Monroe Kuoni (Todd), and 8 grandchildren Jonathan Carl (Brittney), Leighton Carl (Jenny), Landon Carl (Ashley), Stephen Carl (Lindsey), Shaun Kuoni (Emily Anne), Rebekah Carl Corley (Chase), Michael Kuoni (Kemmerley), and Benjamin Carl (Mary Kate), as well as 32 great grandchildren - Miriam Carl, Zeke Carl, Judah Carl, Esther Carl, Ruth Carl, Solomon Carl, Sophia Carl, Mia Carl, Lydia Carl, Alia Carl, Logan Carl, Neely Carl, Tanner Carl, Beau Carl, Willow Carl, Maverick Carl, Abigail Carl, Elizabeth Carl, Lukas Carl, Lilian Carl, Madison Carl, Holden Carl, Clara Kuoni, Jack Kuoni, Crew Kuoni, Eloise Kuoni, Saige Corley, Hazel Corley, Jayda Corley, Oakleigh Corley, George Carl, and Bobby Carl.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made as a gift in memory of Arlene Holden to the Woodlands Methodist Church, The Woodlands, Texas or to MD Anderson, the “Sisters Funds” to Lerryn M Carl Endowment for Lung Cancer Research or Gayle M Kuoni Breast Medical Oncology Research Endowment.

John 11:25-26

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

A service and celebration of Arlene’s life will be set at a future date.