Howard J. Arnold

ARNOLD, MARTIN, JENKINS, KEEGAN, SCHWEITZER, HANSEN, STEIN, LILLIE

Posted By: dbeier (email)
Date: 1/14/2008 at 00:38:32

March 10, 1915 — Jan. 9, 2008
AURORA — Howard J. Arnold, 92, passed away Wednesday evening, Jan. 9, 2008, at the Buchanan County LTC from pancreatic cancer.
Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13, at the Church of Christ United, with Pastor Dean Schlitter officiating. Burial will be in Fremont Cemetery, Winthrop.Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Fawcett Funeral Home in Winthrop.
Howard James Arnold was born March 10, 1915, on the farm near Aurora. He was the son of Dale and Adelaide Martin Arnold. Howard graduated from Winthrop High School in 1931.
Howard and Marian Jenkins were united in marriage on March 3, 1937 at the Presbyterian parsonage in Independence. Marian passed away Oct. 16, 1987. They farmed all their lives, raising hogs, chickens, sheep and purebred Black Angus cattle.
In his younger years, Howard also had a favorite Palomino riding horse, Lady. He was a conservationist who planted a large windbreak around the buildings, rotated his crops, and strip-farmed. He was proud that all his equipment was John Deere green. Like his father Dale, he served as Byron Township clerk for 52 years, serving on the Election Board for 42 years. He and Marian were caretakers of the Byron Township Cemetery for 25 years. After her death he continued with the help of his granddaughters. Howard served from 1947-1952 on the Winthrop Board of Education that consolidated the Winthrop District. He was honored this past summer during the Winthrop Sesquicentennial as one of the oldest living graduates of the Winthrop/East Buchanan schools.
A staunch Republican, Howard only voted Democrat once for FDR in 1932 and had regretted it ever since. As a widower, he taught himself to cook and made the best peanut brittle candy, which he shared with family and friends every Christmas. Until shortly before his death, Howard always had a story or a joke to share along with a smile. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dale and Adelaine; wife Marian of 50 years; sister Marguerite Keegan and brother Donald Arnold.
He is survived by his daughters, Janice Arnold of Modesto, Calif., and Glenda (Ron) Schweitzer of Aurora,; granddaughters Heather and Kurt Hansen of Independence and Marnie and Todd Stein of Des Moines; great grandson Ryan Stein, and bonus great-grandchildren Alex, Nick, and Christy Hansen; his brother Melvin Arnold of Independence; his sister Donna Lillie of Independence; sister-in-law Neva Arnold of Lamont; as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.