Arvilla J. Lien

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Arvilla J. Lien, 89, of Dilworth, Minn., passed away on Thursday, December 17, 2025, at Serenity Assisted Living under the care of HIA Hospice.

Arvilla Jean Meester was born February 25, 1936, the daughter of Jake and Rena (Wiltfang) Meester in rural Parkersburg, Iowa. She was raised in Grundy County Iowa, where she attended rural school Beaver Township #2 and graduated from Parkersburg High School in 1954. Following her graduation, Arvilla began working as a bookkeeper at Kyle Chevrolet in Parkersburg. Arvilla and Lloyd met when she was working at the Chevy dealership.

On April 22, 1958, Arvilla was united in marriage to Lloyd Lien at the Reformed Church in Stout, Iowa. The couple lived in Cedar Falls, Iowa, until relocating to Faith, Minn. in October of 1970, where they owned and operated the Faith Flour Mill. In 1982, they moved to Twin Valley, Minn., where Arvilla accepted a bookkeeping role at the Twin Valley Nursing Home. Her professional path also led her to become the office manager at Zion Lutheran Church, before working as a bookkeeper for Arvig Telephone Company until her retirement.

In 2007, Arvilla and Lloyd moved to Dilworth, Minn., where Lloyd passed away on January 4, 2015. Following his death, Arvilla remained in Dilworth and became a resident at Serenity Assisted Living in 2019.

Arvilla was a devoted member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Faith, Zion Lutheran Church in Twin Valley and Dilworth Lutheran Church.

In her leisure time, Arvilla enjoyed baking, sewing, embroidering, singing in the church choir, and having coffee with friends and neighbors. She loved the color purple, and it was evident from purple sweaters to a purple shower curtain in her room at Serenity. Arvilla was part of the Arvig Telephone Company bowling team and every August; it was a tradition for her to have a large garage sale in Twin Valley. Her children, grandchildren and sister Phyllis Meester helped with the sale. Arvilla enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas, New Orleans, Florida, Arizona and California with her sister Phyllis, niece Lisa Dykstra and her husband, Dave. One of Arvilla’s greatest joys was spending time and creating lasting memories with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her daughter, Linda (Bruce) Hanstad, Alexandria, Minn.; son, Alan (Kim) Lien, Buffalo, North Dakota; grandchildren, Brittany Hanstad, Bryce (Annie) Hanstad and Branden Lien; great-grandchildren, Portland and Thomas Hanstad and Louis and Etta Hanstad; step great-grandchildren, John and Nina Thomas; sisters, Phyllis Meester, Roseville, Minn., and Verdell Kleinwolterink, Orange City, Iowa and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lloyd; and sister, Arlene Kalkwarf.

Memorials may be directed to Dilworth Lutheran Church or the American Cancer Society.

A gathering of family and friends for Arvilla will begin at 10:00 AM, January 5, 2026, followed by a Celebration of Her Life at 11:00 AM, in Dilworth Lutheran Church, Dilworth. She will be laid to rest in Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Twin Valley, Minn.

(Korsmo Funeral and Cremation Service, Moorhead, MN)