Arlene L. Baril died Monday, July 16 at the Windemere Nursing Center.

She was born June 20, 1935 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital in Oak Bluffs. She was the wife of the late Donald J. Baril who predeceased her in February of this year. Arlene grew up in Edgartown and was a member of the Edgartown Methodist Church where she joined in all activities. She attended the Edgartown School for grades one through 12 and graduated with honors as valedictorian of her class in 1953. From high school she was accepted to Framingham State Teachers College, graduating in 1957, ranking high in her class.

After graduation, she headed to California to teach for one year. She then returned east to accept a teaching position in White Plains N.Y. She taught in White Plains for two years and then returned to New England where she was employed by Allyn and Bacon Inc. in Boston as editor of elementary textbooks.

Arlene loved Martha’s Vineyard and would make it home often to visit her parents, Cyrus S. and Nettie D. Norton of Edgartown, and take a swim in the ocean or ride her bike all over the Island.

One day in August of 1958, while walking South Beach with her sister Norma, a man stopped to ask them about Martha’s Vineyard. He had just flown his plane into the Katama airport. That conversation went on for 56 years.

Arlene married Donald J. Baril in September of 1962 in Needham. They made their home in Franklin until after the death of their son Gary in November of 1987. Arlene and Don moved from Franklin in 1989 back to Martha’s Vineyard. She and Don could be seen walking the streets of Edgartown and riding their bikes every day.

Arlene leaves one sister, Norma E. Rodgers, and a brother in-law, A. Edson Rodgers of Edgartown.

A memorial will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22 at the Oak Bluffs Trinity Methodist Church in the Oak Bluffs Camp Ground.