By Amanda Lillie, staff writer

Although this week’s spotlight has been on the Blooming Prairie mother and daughter found dead in their rural home, those who knew Arlene and Kristi Jolson say the two usually kept to themselves.

The women were found dead at their home, 88793 320th St. in rural Blooming Prairie, Tuesday after co-workers became concerned about Kristi, who had not been to her job of 15 years at Austin’s Gerard Academy since Friday.

After suspecting carbon monoxide as the cause but not detecting any in the home, police and fire officials were baffled as to what could have caused the deaths. The Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office said autopsy results proved, however, that Arlene, 76, died from a heart-related condition on the first floor of the home. Around the same time, Kristi, 50, died from a brain aneurysm on the second floor.

The coincidental timing has locals perplexed.

“It’s very sad and very strange,” said Nancy Cornelius, secretary at Community Lutheran Church of Geneva where the women were members. “How sad and bizarre?”

Cornelius speculated that Arlene may have found Kristi unresponsive upstairs, causing her to have a heart attack.

“Maybe Kristi didn’t come down for breakfast or something and (Arlene) went to check on her,” she said.

Cornelius said Arlene had previously dealt with heart problems, but there was no indication Kristi had any health issues.

Both women had been lifelong members of the church, and Arlene had been active in Mission Circle, a group of church women who make winter attire for charity organizations.

“They always attended church and sat in the back row for as long as I can remember,” Cornelius said. “They were nice, but always kind of quiet. Just average country folk.”

A neighbor of the women also said the two were quiet and “kept to themselves.”

Arlene and Kristi’s farmhouse, located in an open, cornfield-surrounded area off a county highway, would have granted a more solitary woman the ability to keep to herself.

Kristi never married and had no children, according to Cornelius. Instead, she focused on her career, spending the last 15 years working at Gerard Academy in Austin.

“Kristi was a devoted and exceptional employee for 15 years,” said Gerard Academy Communications Coordinator Damien Londino-Green in an e-mailed statement. “Her work exemplified Gerard’s commitment to children and their families, and she will be greatly missed.”

Arlene had two children other than Kristi: Bruce Jolson of Cedar Rapids and Scott Jolson of Blooming Prairie, who lives in another building on the property where the women were found. Arlene’s late husband, Allan Jolson, died of a heart attack in 1987, according to church records.

A joint funeral service will be held for the women at 2 p.m. Sunday at Community Lutheran Church of Geneva. Visitation will be one hour before the service, and interment will be at a later date.