Arlyce Sloan

Arlyce Fern (Richmond) Sloan, age 86 of Belle Fourche, died Wednesday, May 13, 2020 at the Rolling Hills Healthcare Center in Belle Fourche. She was born May 14, 1933 in Cottonwood, South Dakota to Andrew Allen Richmond & Pearl Anna Ferne (Shores) Richmond. Music was an important part of their home life as both of her parents & all of her brothers were musical. In the 1920’s her parents played for community dances in the winter & sometimes they even loaded her Mom’s piano on a sled pulled by horses & brought it to the dances. Arlyce’s mother died when she was 6 years old so she learned to prepare family meals at a young age. A neighbor lady brought her to Sunday school regularly during her formative years which began her desire to walk with the Lord. She attended grade school in Cottonwood and High School in Quinn, SD. She graduated as the valedictorian of the class of 1951 and then worked part time at the Post Office in Cottonwood. She got an associate’s degree at Black Hills State College and taught in a one room school house for 2 years in Cottonwood.

Arlyce met her husband Charles George Sloan on a blind date and they were married less than a year later on June 17, 1955 in Spearfish, SD, but lived in Belle Fourche the rest of their lives and enjoyed almost 56 wonderful years together. Arlyce was very active in her community & church. She was a member of the United Methodist Church for over 60 years where she served as a Sunday school teacher & served on various boards & also was a member of the choir. She loved her family very much & always made sure all 5 of her kids went to Sunday school & church. She also became a den leader in cub scouts to spend more time with her sons. She had a lifelong love for reading and she regularly read to her kids & took them frequently to the local library, where she became one of their best customers in her later years.  

Arlyce was an Avon Sales Representative for 45 years and truly enjoyed serving her longtime customers & also meeting new ones. She received numerous sales awards over the years. She was a very outgoing person that loved people and she had a great sense of humor & never could resist a pun. She believed that You don't stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop laughing. Her brother Ivan stated that attitude & gratitude are very important and Arlyce had the best of both. The advice Arlyce gave to many was to try to think of something positive every day and show love to others and also remember that hate destroys the hater. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.  

Arlyce is survived by her daughters, Pamela (Herbert) Pirkey of Edgewood NM, Ferne (Harvey) Tellinghuisen of Lakeside CA, Charlotte (Duane) Engelstad of Fairfield ID; sons, Charles (Nancy) of Piedmont, Daniel (Rose) of Beaverton OR; 7 grandchildren: C.J. (Jenna), Clay (Cassie), Ben (Leah), Dane (JoHannah), Bethany (Nathan), Kari (Tyler), Daniel (Jasmine); 10 great grandchildren, Eli, Abigail, Esther, Ezra, Levi, Isaac, Erik, Soren, Ivy, Aislynn; and younger brother, Ivan (Ruth) Richmond of Summerfield, Florida.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and 4 brothers, Logan, Leroy, Eugene, and Wesley.

Interment will take place in Black Hills National Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials to either Belle Fourche United Methodist Church or Belle Fourche Public Library are preferred.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 (NIV)

But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.  1 Thessalonians 5: 9-10 (NLT)

For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die. Isaiah 57:2 (NLT)

The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)

“In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say ‘You can keep your fork.’ It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming… like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!

“So I just want people to see me there in my casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to remember ‘Keep your fork… the best is yet to come’.” I had the assurance of eternity in Heaven with Jesus, what about you?

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