Arlene Coffelt was born Oct. 14, 1950, in Klawock, Alaska and passed away Feb. 9, 2017 from a brain aneurysm.

Arlene was the oldest of two children born to Harriet and Stetson Dowhitt. She was Native Alaskan from the Tlingit and Haida tribes. She grew up in Ketchikan, Sitka and Klawock. That is where she graduated from Kayhi High School in 1968 and she met first husband and had her two sons, Burt and Aaron.

Ketchikan is where she met her second husband and had a daughter, Gorgie. She moved with her family to Fieldbrook in 1974 then had her youngest daughter, Ava.

Arlene attended Frederick and Charles Beauty School and received her cosmetology license. The first salon she worked at was Hair Stop in Uniontown Square in Arcata. Other hair salons that she worked at after include A Cute Above, The Cutting Edge, Panache, Beau Monde Hair Salon and The Beauty Connection. Arlene’s passion was doing hair, and she loved taking the time to perfect a haircut. She was a hair stylist for over 30 years.

Some of her favorite things to do were crossword puzzles, going to the beach, spending time with family. She loved animals and watching animal videos.

Arlene is preceded by her husband Robert Coffelt and her son Aaron Coffelt and her aunt Marie Peterson. She is survived by her son, Burt Coffelt; her daughters Gorgie Coffelt-Lane and Ava Coffelt; son-in-law Wes Lane; grandchildren Travis Smith, Lexi Farias, Bella Coffelt-Cornelio and great-grandson Lance Smith; aunts Margaret Kennedy, and Amelia McAlpin; sister Doretta Dowhitt; and nephews Rodger and Ron Wilson.

The family of Arlene Coffelt wish to thank the doctors and staff at The Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa for taking such good care of her and treating her so wonderfully.

Arlene’s Celebration of Life will be held at Merryman’s at Moonstone Beach in Westhaven on April 30, 2017 at 3 p.m. The family would like to welcome all family and friends to attend as well as her clientele.

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The obituary above was submitted by Arlene Coffelt’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.