Candace Arends

Candace Arends, age 76 of Blue Earth passed away peacefully at home Thursday June 12, 2025 with her loving family surrounding her.

A memorial service will be held at 11am Wednesday June 18th at SS Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth. Visitation will be from 4-6pm Tuesday June 17th at Patton Funeral Home and continue one hour before the service at the church. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery.

Candace was born September 12, 1948 to Ambrose and Maxine Dewanz in Blue Earth. She graduated from Blue Earth High School in 1966 and from St Mary’s School of Nursing in 1969. She married her high school sweetheart John Arends on July 5th, 1969, they lived first in Germany before returning to the area where they raised their three girls.

Cande began her career as a nurse at United Hospital District in 1973 and stayed for 46 years. In 1996 she became the Chief Nursing Officer overseeing all aspects of patient care. Patient care was her passion and driving force. As a leader at UHD she encouraged everyone to make patients their focus and to always deliver the highest quality of care. She was a mentor and friend to countless UHD employees.

There was nothing she enjoyed more than spending time with John and her family. Many birthdays and every Christmas were spent at Grandma’s house where so much food was served and so many treasured memories were created. If you spent any time around Cande you had to hear her say, “I love, love, love my family.”

She is survived by her beloved husband John, daughters Molly (Marc) Meier, Ali (Lars) Bierly, and Emily (Adam) Obermeyer. Grandchildren Mason (Katelyn) Meier, Hunter Myers (Sarah Dirks), Matthew Meier, and Olivia Myers. Her sisters Paula (John) Cuneo and Lori (Greg) Stevens. Brothers- and sisters-in-law Mike (Lorraine) Arends, Kayla Lawrence, Mavis Holmseth, Debbie (Barry) Ehrich, Daryl Amundson, and Steven (LuAnn) Arends and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her in-laws Lester and Dorothy Arends, sisters-in-law Susie Amundson and Marvis Schipper, brothers-in-law Doug Schipper, Dick Holmseth and Bruce Lawrence and her nephew Paul Ehrich.