CASPER, WYO- Arlene Ann Gerdes, 77, Casper, Wyoming resident and former Rapid City resident, passed peacefully, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 at Sheppard of the Valley in Casper. Arlene was born Dec. 6, 1933 in Parkston, SD to the late Bernard and Magdalina (Puetz) Brown. She moved to Rapid City in 1950 to attend Rapid City High School. She lived with and worked for the late Fredrick and Gladys Brown at the Candlelight Restaurant. Arlene met and married Jerry Gerdes on Dec. 28, 1953. They enjoyed 49 years of marriage. Together they built a life in the beauty of the Black Hills. As a couple they enjoyed the hunt of an antique treasure. They shared many wonderful memories of their travels to the Great Lakes, high mountain visits, Elk in the Tetons, and crashing waves of the northern Pacific. Ann, as she chose to be called later in life, never met a stranger she didn't talk to, preached good manners to her grandsons and deeply loved the Dark Canyon home she and Jerry built. She is with her loved ones, telling stories wrong and happily dancing. Arlene leaves behind two daughters, Kathryn Cain and her husband, Pat of Belton, TX; Kimberly Lungren and her husband, Rex of Glenrock, WY. She is a grandma to four children: Matthew and Jason Cain of Texas and Casey Robberson and Courtney Lundine of Wyoming. Grammy Ann to eight great grandchildren: Abigail Robberson; Jason and Dylan Robberson; Kaleb and Tristan Lundine; Roman, Britton, and Alexandria Cain; and her sister Florence Tiede of Woonsocket, SD. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brothers: Arnold and Leonard Brown and sister, Adeline Wudel. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home in Rapid City. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, at Blessed Sacrament Church in Rapid City with Rev. Timothy Castor presiding. Interment will follow at Pine Lawn Memorial Park in Rapid City. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association for Research.