Arlene was born in Racine, Wisconsin to Harold and Rosella Showalter. She had an older brother, Lewis and twin younger brothers Don and Dan. As a child she enjoyed going to the movies and ice skating. She met Ira Daniels when she was 16. It was love at first sight. At 18, she married Ira in 1952. Her first child, Peggy, was born in 1953 and Ellen was born in 1958. Ira became a truck driver and they ran a self-serve laundromat. She and Ira moved to Fresno in 1960 where Ira became an insurance salesman and Arlene concentrated on being a homemaker and mother.

After her girls were almost grown, Arlene and Peggy went to adult school and learned to be secretaries. Arlene went to work for the California State Unemployment Department and then the California State Disability Insurance Department where she picked up the mail every morning and processed claims. She retired in 1997.

After Ira passed away in 1980, Arlene learned to live alone, to drive a car and take care of her home and car. She enjoyed attending People's Church on Sunday. She liked to watch old movies, listen to talk radio and feed the neighborhood cats.

Arlene was preceded in death by her parents, husband and brothers. She is survived by Peggy and son in law Ken Davis and Ellen and son in law Robert Goodwin.