Arla Mae (Burns) Fenner

On March 20, 2020 our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and aunt passed away peacefully, at age 74, at the Schneidmiller Hospice House in Hayden, Idaho, with her husband and children at her side.

Arla was born Nov. 19, 1945, in Philip, S.D., to Robert and Elizabeth (Thiemann) Burns.

In the 1950s the family moved to Lead, S.D. She met the love of her life, Jim Fenner, in 1961 and they were united in marriage on Sept. 10, 1962. To this union five children were born.

Those honored to have been a part of her life, her husband James (Jim) D. Fenner of 57 years. Children: Robert (Bob) Fenner of Hayden, Idaho, William (Bill) Fenner and his wife Amber of Albuquerque, N.M., Beth Ann (Fenner) Peterson and her husband Joe of Williston, N.D., Bradley-Bryan Fenner (born and passed April 7, 1967), Becky (Fenner) Leighton and her husband Chuck of Hayden, Idaho. Nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren sprinkled through Idaho, Washington, and New Mexico. Her brother Robert (Bob) Burns of Lead, S.D., and sister Carol St. Michel and her husband Ronnie of Atlanta, Ga. Sister-in-law LaVerna Fenner and her late husband Phil of Packwood, Wash. Brother-in-law Jerry Fenner of Red Bluff, Calif. Sister-in-law Patricia (Pat) Fenner of Santa Barbara, Calif. Our extended families: Connie Kelly and her late husband Jack and their family, and Diana Meyers.

She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings; Janice Mahaney, Roma Denman, and Johnny Burns.

In 1966 they moved to Renton, Wash. where Jim worked construction while Arla was a stay-at-home mother. In 1969 the family moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where Jim went to work at Sunshine Mine in Kellogg, Idaho.

Arla attended Lead High School, completed her GED in 1981 and attended North Idaho College in the mid 1980s. She worked at the Iron Horse restaurant then Profs Coffee Shop in Buttery’s shopping mall for several years.

They bought a home in 1972 where she raised four children, managing swimming lessons, Little League, and Boy Scouts. She had a great love for family, loved cooking and had a sharp, 5 p.m. dinner time. On very special occasions, we were all treated to dinner out at a restaurant. One of her absolute joys and a fond family memory is when she’d make buttery popcorn and fill a large brown paper bag to the brim for a family drive-in movie night.

She became an avid bowler with a 170 +/- average and was the league treasurer for 30-plus years, where she met many great friends with the same love of bowling and joined many tournaments over the years.

Arla liked to travel in her early years, and loved babies, pets, chocolate, camping, and logic puzzles. Her joy of riding motorbikes and snowmobiles with all her efforts to remain on the road, became the butt of many jokes. Her endless sense of humor and wit will be cherished memories for family and friends forever.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Schneidmiller House – Hospice of North Idaho, 2290 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83815

Memorial Services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, July 24, 2021, at the Yates Funeral Home, Hayden Chapel, 373 E. Hayden Ave., Hayden, Idaho.

Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Please visit Arla’s online memorial at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com and sign her guest book.