Obituary

Arlene Rasnic, a woman of boundless creativity and love, passed away peacefully on Easter afternoon, April 5, 2026.

Born on April 2, 1940, Arlene was known as “Gram” to many. She left behind a world made significantly brighter, more colorful, and more inclusive by her presence, charming everyone she met. She was a mentor and protector who believed in treating everyone with dignity and acceptance. She believed that if you see something beautiful in someone, you should name it out loud.

A member of the last graduating class of Randolph High School, Arlene was inducted into the Northmont Hall of Fame in 2005 for her achievements in softball, volleyball, and basketball. In softball, she maintained a batting average of .530 to .560 and set a school record for the most stolen bases. Her athleticism and “psychic” instincts at the card table remained sharp throughout her life, as evidenced by her perfect 300 games in Wii Bowling—much to the chagrin of her grandchildren and many vanquished card opponents.

Although she had little formal training, Arlene possessed a brilliant engineering mind. She was known for her endless crafting and tinkering: taking apart broken electronics to see how they worked and transforming her home each year into immersive, magical Christmas worlds for her family and friends.

She is survived by her life partner, Carla Spriestersbach, and a large and loving family: Robin, Noelle, Dustin and Colena; Mike, Sean, Jennifer, Robert, Nate, Stacy, Chase, Jordyn, Rowan, Quentin, Aliyah, Rebecca, Nicholas, Jazzlyn, Logan, Holden, Aria, and Luna; many friends who became family including Tim, Catherine, Elaine, Shirley, and the Strader family.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 9, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at:
Englewood United Methodist Church, 107 N. Walnut St., Englewood, OH 45322

In honor of Arlene’s “sparkling wings,” guests are encouraged to wear something bright or sparkly. In her memory, the family asks that you perform an act of kindness, fix something broken, or give a sincere compliment to a stranger.