Ella Arnell

Funeral Services for Ella Arnell, 82, or Baker, MT, will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 1, 2021 at First Baptist Church, Baker, with Pastor James Parks officiating. Burial will follow at St. Paul’s Cemetery north of Rhame, ND.

Visitation will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Baker, with a prayer service taking place at 6:00 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the service.

Ella passed away Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at the Glendive Medical Center.

Ella Irene Arnell was born in rural slope county to Glen and Ruth (Hanson) Erickson. She grew up on the family farm near Sunset Butte south of Rhame. Ella attended Sunset Butte Rural School before graduating from Bowman County High School. She attended Dickinson State Teachers college and began her teaching career at Woodberry elementary rural school north of Scranton and later taught at Crawford school north of Rhame. It was during this time that Ella met Hilding Arnell and the two were married on August 20, 1959 at Mound Church north of Rhame. The couple was blessed with five children, LaNae, Connie, Curt, Rhonda, and Vicki. After working on ranches in North Dakota the family eventually settled in Baker, MT, where Ella has made her home ever since. Ella worked as a school secretary in the Baker elementary schools for over 36 years.

Ella’s life is best described as faith, family and friends. She was a faithful member of the Baker First Baptist Church, serving with her time, musical talent and willingness to teach Sunday school. Her family knew that Sunday was family day and kept all other commitments away so that they could spend the day as a family. Ella opened her home and dinner table up to any one that joined her family. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren held a special place in Ella’s heart and she rarely missed any of their activities or school events.
Ella had many talents and was eager to share them with her family and friends. She made crafts and sewing projects for grieving friends, painted dozens of paintings inspired by her instructor Bob Ross, and played the piano and sang in her women’s quartet. Ella was the continual caregiver for her family, serving as the family nurse and doctor whenever possible. She will be remembered for her loving, calm patient demeaner by all those that knew her.

She is survived by her children, LaNae (Kenny) Bretzel, Plevna, MT; Connie (Dean) Alberts, Plevna, MT; Curt (Tammy) Arnell, Baker, MT; Rhonda Hodges, Hixson, TN; Vicki (Ricky) Brown, Plevna, MT; and siblings, Phyllis Watts, Rapid City, SD; Dennis (Shari) Erickson, Baker, MT; Muriel Getz, Rhame, ND; brother-in-law, Wendell Arnell; grandchildren, Jenna Bretzel; Brayden (Patty) Bretzel; Shasta VanMatre; Danny (Brett) Alberts; Mandi (Toby) Arnold; Kyle (Tisha) Alberts; Derek (Shawnna) Arnell; Dalton (Rebecca) Arnell; Dallas Arnell; Kevin (Kecia) Hodges; Krista (Luke) Hargrove; Malachai (Bekah) Buti; Jalissa Brown; Janaya Brown; and 19 great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, Hilding, and brother Harold Erickson, In-laws, Leone Erickson, Rodger Getz, Merle Watts and Elsie Malkowski.