Arlene Nielson Wilker

Eunice Arlene Nielson Wilker, 88 of Grace, Idaho, crossed the finish line after completing her final lap around the track in Logan, Utah. She was born in Cleveland, Idaho in a very humble one-room home where her parents and older sister Dolores lived in the back of a grocery store with no electricity or running water. Her parents were La Vina Tanner Nielson and Delbert Hyrum Nielson. She was the 2nd of three daughters. Their family eventually moved to Niter where they had running water and electricity. They built Nielson Grocery (Bailey’s Market) where Arlene worked until she graduated from Grace High School in 1954 and occasionally after that when her parents needed help, and at this same time, she also rogued potatoes for Jack Gibbs.

 Her whole life, she just wanted to be a racetrack bum, but she decided to get an education instead. She graduated from Henager Business College and then completed a year of LDS Business College in Salt Lake City. She was very depressed living in the “City”, and her father sensed her unhappiness, so he helped her get a job at First National Bank in Grace, Idaho in 1955. This began her 42 awesome years of a wonderfully successful banking career, where she continued her education graduating from Northwest Intermediate Banking School in Portland, Oregon and Northwest Agricultural Lending School in Pullman, Washington. She managed the banks through two bank robberies, one of which disturbed her for the remainder of her life, but her working years were also filled with great joy and the making of many friendships and granting numerous loans. 

 Her first true love was a horse that was near her childhood home and owned by the Miles Family. Arlene dreamed of one day marrying a real cowboy that had horses. Elwood Grover Wilker had enough horses to attract the eye of Arlene and they were married, April 11, 1958 in the Logan LDS Temple. Their ranch was never without a horse until she moved away in 2022. Arlene and Elwood raised two sons, Clynn and Clay. 

 Elwood and Arlene together were members of the Cache Valley Cutter Racing Association, Rocky Mountain Cutter Association, Grand Marshals of Caribou County and inducted members of The Eastern Idaho Horseman Hall of Fame and managed the horse racing at the Caribou County Fair for many years. They were deserving recipients of hundreds of trophies, plaques and buckles that covered the walls and mantle of their home. Arlene was named World Cutter & Chariot Racing Woman of the year in 2001 for her outstanding support and contribution to chariot racing. She enjoyed being the secretary for their chariot club and ran a pretty tight ship.

 She was a very devoted Utah Jazz and BYU Cougar Fan and nothing could take her attention away from the TV when those games were on. She was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and an election worker for many years. She also served on the Board of the Eastern Idaho Horseman Hall of Fame. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where she held many positions; visiting teacher, young women’s teacher, primary teacher, primary counselor, den mother and Relief Society counselor. 

 Her family that lives on are sons: Clynn Elwood Wilker (Helen) of Escondido, CA, Clay Grover Wilker (Wendy) Millville, UT, grandchildren, Chase Clynn Wilker, Katelynn Wilker, Kelsey Arlene Swigart (Ulrick), Karli Wilker Palazzo (Tyler), Colter Clay Wilker, Cassie Jo Wilker Mickelson (Harris) and great-grandchildren Penelope Palazzo, Maverick Palazzo and Jameson Palazzo, sisters-in-law, Fara Lee Yale and Maxine Wilker Smith. Arlene was preceded in death by her parents LaVina and Delbert, husband, Elwood Grover Wilker, sisters, Dolores Nielson and Glenda Van Sciver, brothers-in-law, Robert Lee Van Sciver and Larry Yale,  and over 50 horses that she owned in her lifetime.

 In lieu of flowers, never miss an opportunity to promote the cowboy/cowgirl way of life and pay it forward to someone else by inviting them to spend time at a racetrack, giving someone a pony ride, or buying someone a pair of real cowboy boots. 

 Services are under the direction of Webb Funeral Home and will be held on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at the Grace Stake Center, 404 S. Main, Grace, Idaho. The service will be live streamed and may be watched Saturday at 1 p.m. (MST) by clicking on the link in her obituary at webbmortuary.com. Viewings will be held on Friday from 6-8 p.m. at Webb Funeral Home, 1005 S. 800 E., Preston and Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the stake center. Interment will be in the Grace Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at webbmortuary.com