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Bruce C. Arnold

1925 - 2024

 

Bruce C. Arnold
January 18, 2024

Bruce C. Arnold died peacefully late on January 18, 2024. Many of his family members were with him.

Bruce was born on August 9, 1925. He was the youngest of the five children born to E.J. (Elmer) and Nellie (Lau) Arnold. He was reared on the family farm outside of Klemme, Iowa.

He attended the one-room school house walking distance from the farm and high school in Klemme. After graduation he enrolled at Iowa State College (now Iowa State University) in Ames.

Following his freshman year, he returned to the farm for the summer. Before he could return to college, in 1946 he enlisted in the Army, went through basic training and served in Occupied Japan in Yokohama. Sgt. Arnold spent leave time traveling the countryside with fellow GIs. Bruce sent many small gifts from his time in Japan to his mother. These graced a china cabinet in her home.

When Bruce returned from his service, he resumed his college studies. He graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from ISU. This degree allowed him to get tractor design work with J. I. Case Company in Rock Island, Illinois.

While working for Case, he met Joyce Ann Ingold. They married on St. Patrick’s Day 1956. Bruce and Joyce moved from an apartment in Rock Island to a home in Milan, Illinois. Mary, Steven and Karen were welcomed to the family in the next years. Warren was born after the family moved to Racine.

Bruce took advantage of the GI Bill to complete a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Iowa. He drove back and forth from Milan to Iowa City to take classes while working for Ametek.

After graduating, he and the family moved to Pella, Iowa where he worked for Rolscreen Company. Preferring machine design to wood design, Bruce sought work with and was hired by Twin Disc Clutch Company in Racine, Wisconsin.

The family lived at the Oscar Jenne Lake cottage for the first summer, while Bruce worked at Twin Disc. He traveled to northern Wisconsin each weekend. Everyone moved to a new home in Mt. Pleasant Township in time for the school year.

Bruce continued his professional growth as an engineer at Twin Disc moving up to Chief Engineer for Marine Products. He retired in 1988. During his work life he applied his engineering and design skills to tractor transmissions, windows, and marine clutches and transmissions. He held patents for numerous mechanical innovations. Bruce had examples of many tractors that include his patented designs.

In retirement, Bruce and Joyce bought a small farm (The Etchen Place) outside of Goodell, Iowa near his family. They split their time between this farm, the Lake and traveling.

After Joyce’s death in 1994, Bruce continued to spend time with his siblings in Iowa, and visit the Lake, his family and friends.

Bruce loved traveling, photography, the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz festival, political commentary, western art, the Green Bay Packers, reading, the Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s concert, vintage radios, Edison and Victrola machines and family history.

Bruce was predeceased by his wife, Joyce; his parents, Elmer and Nellie (Lau) Arnold; in-laws, Wilson and Esther (Schell) Ingold; his siblings, Curtis, Wilbur, Roy and Evelyn; his daughter-in-law, Julie and his schoolmate and friend, Phyllis (Swanson) Loeffler.

He is survived by his children and their spouses, Mary, Steven, Karen (Dean Heuer), Warren (Jennifer); grandchildren and spouses, Mathew (Anne), Megan (Adam), Rudy (Emily), Toby (Morgan), Jonah (Aislinn), Timothy, Kian, Mallory and great-grandchildren, Jaxson, Ezra, Nehemiah, Kraven, Selah and Verity.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at 1 pm, at the Delano Senior Center, 234 2nd Street North, Delano, Minnesota. Visitation will precede the memorial service at noon.

A donation in Bruce’s memory may be made to one of these organizations he supported in life.

Mayo Clinic, Department of Development, 200 1st Street Northwest, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.

Klemme Homestead Museum, 112 South Second Street, Klemme, Iowa 50449.

There will be a private inurnment for the immediate family in Klemme.