Arvilla M. Commander

Arvilla M. Reninger Commander, 87, of Sioux City passed away Friday, Jan. 12, 2007, at Sunrise Retirement Community.

Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Luke Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Craig Bock officiating. Burial will be in Graceland Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 3 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel. Online condolences may be sent to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Arvilla was born Feb. 6, 1919, in rural Waterbury, Neb., the daughter of Harry J. and Bessie M. (Thorne) Reninger. She moved to Homer, Neb., in early childhood and graduated from Homer Public School. She attended Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb., where she received her bachelor of science degree. She later received a master of arts degree in elementary education with honors from Morningside College in Sioux City. She also did post-graduate studies at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D.

Arvilla married James R. Commander on July 9, 1944, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sioux City. In addition to raising her family, she taught elementary grades in rural Dakota County, Neb., South Sioux City, Lawton, Iowa and Sioux City Community Schools for a total of 31 years. She retired from teaching in 1983.

She had great interest in geneology and did much research on family ancestry in both the U.S. and Europe. She loved being with family members, dancing with her husband and reading.

She was a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church for over 50 years. She was a Stephen Minister and also a member of Dorcas Circle. As a young woman, Arvilla participated in various religious education programs for children. She was also active in numerous organizations including two honorary educator organizations, Alpha Delta Kappa and Delta Kappa Gamma,; Sioux City Retired Educators; life member of the National Education Association and Iowa Education Association; PEO Chapter JG; Girl Scouts; Community Advisory Board for the Disabled; Eastern Star, Morningside Chapter 502; and Daughters of the Nile, Hathor Temple.

While actively teaching, she served on curriculum committees for the Sioux City Community School District, was cooperating teacher for many student teachers and participated in numerous in-service workshops as a presenter for the school system. She was also on the scholarship committee for her class at Wayne State College.

Survivors include two children, a daughter, Kathleen Torbenson of Sioux City and a son and his wife, Gene R. and Linda Commander of Aurora, Colo.; four grandchildren, Claire Armstrong and her husband, Mark of Wasilla, Alaska, Beth Dubbelde and her husband, Michael of Larchwood, Iowa, Kristen Commander and Matthew Commander, both of Aurora, Colo.; four great-grandchildren, James, Lee and Curtis Dubbelde of Larchwood, Iowa and Trevor Armstrong of Wasilla, Alaska; two sisters, Geraldine Eriksen of Templeton, Calif. and Pearl Barnett Wickerling of Las Vegas, Nev.; as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James R. Commander; a brother, Winston W. Reninger; a nephew, William W. Reninger; and two brothers-in-law, Waylan Eriksen and Harold Barnett.

Pallbearers will be Bill Kisting, Jim Hey, Robert Wiltse, Matthew Commander, Michael Dubbelde and Bob Green. Honorary pallbearers will be Keith Anderson, Peg Brady, Barbara Burnside, Beth Hickey, Warren Jensen, Margie Jensen, Carolyn Johnson, Barbara McLarty, Joe Mitchell, Joan Mitchell, Ann Mrla, Terry Brown, Steve Brown, Mark Armstrong, Daniel Torbensen, Frank Gilbert and Kenneth Lueck.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family in care of the funeral home.