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Roy E. Arnold

1917 - 2008

 

Roy E. Arnold, 90, of Klemme, died on Monday, May 5, 2008, at the Concord Care Center, Garner.

Services were held on Saturday, May 10, at the Klemme United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Paddy Druhl officiating. Interment with full military honors, provided by the Klemme Veteran's Organization, was in the Ell Township Cemetery.

Those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial in Roy's name may wish to consider the Klemme United Methodist Church, Klemme Library, or the Klemme Homestead Museum.

Roy Elmer Arnold, the third son of Elmer John and Nellie Lydia (Lau) Arnold, was born in the big farmhouse on the Arnold Home Farm near Klemme, on December 16, 1917. At age 4, unlike most kids, Roy ran away to go to school. He attended Avery No. 3/Riverside School for eight grades and graduated from the Klemme High School in 1934, at age 16. He attended Iowa State College and graduated in the upper 2 percent of his class in 1940 with a B.S. in Animal Husbandry. He returned to the farm after graduation.

In early 1942, he entered the Army and was posted to the 807th Aviation Engineers in the Aleutian Islands of Umnak and Adak off Alaska. In 1944, he returned to the States briefly for training before shipping out to Hawaii and finally Okinawa, where his unit helped build the Kadena Airfield. When the war ended, he was honorably discharged and once again returned to the farm, where he remained until his retirement.

Roy married Thelma Maxine Chambers on June 18, 1946. During their many years together, they farmed, traveled often with their four children and were active in many social and civic organizations. Roy had joined the Klemme United Methodist Church at age 13, and for many years, he served as a Sunday School Teacher there. He also served as a School Board member for the Klemme Community Schools, a 4-H Leader, and a Cubmaster for the Klemme Cub Scouts. He was a member of the American Legion, the Farm Bureau, and the Hancock County Historical Society.

When his farm workload allowed, he was planning or making trips. Some memorable family trips were to the State Fair, Wisconsin Dells, Yellowstone National Park, California and Missouri to visit Thelma's family, Expo '67, Expo '69, and Mexico, but his favorite location was always Alaska. In 1981, 1987, 1990 and 1992, he and Thelma traveled together through the western U.S. and Canada to Alaska in their infamous 1970 VW van, whose repeated breakdowns caused them to make acquaintances with every VW mechanic in the states and provinces they passed through. Yet, they never seemed to lose their enthusiasm for the trip and gained new friends along the way. In later years, Roy and Thelma visited Hawaii and wintered in Texas. Roy enjoyed reading and was seldom seen without a book (or 10) by his side.

After Roy's retirement from the farm, he and Thelma moved into the house in Klemme that had been owned by her parents, John and Lois (Tabb) Chambers. At the time of Thelma's death in June 2005, they had been married for almost 59 years. In December 2007, Roy was hospitalized with complications due to congestive heart failure and later went to Concord Care Center.

Roy will be greatly missed by his four children, William (Lanette) of Klemme, Arlys (Carol Lilygren) of Falcon Heights, Minnesota, Don (Gail Spensely) of Arroyo Seco, New Mexico and Lance (Tish) of Klemme; three siblings, Wilbur, Evelyn and Bruce Arnold, all of Klemme; seven grandchildren, Monica (Jason) Trca-Charlie, Michelle Trca, Tami Trca, Travis (Trisha) Trca, Bradi Arnold, Kelly Arnold and Robert Arnold; eight great-grandchildren, Genero, Preston, Cameron, Ethan, and Caprice Charlie; Cali and Anthony Capaldo; and Kennedy Trca; and several cousins.

Roy was preceded in death by his parents; wife; brother, Curtis; brother-in-law, Wayne Chambers; and sisters-in-law, Joyce Arnold and Nancy Chambers; and many cousins.

source: Leader & Signal, Garner, Iowa, 14 May 2008, page 7, column 1

 

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