KOTHENBEUTEL, Arlo R. 1935-2012

KOTHENBEUTEL, LOCKE, PHIPPS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 3/25/2015 at 08:38:11

Arlo Ralph Kothenbeutel passed away Saturday, May 19th, 2012.

He was born on June 8, 1935, in Marshalltown, Iowa, the son of Arlo Otto Kothenbeutel and Pearl Inez Locke Kothenbeutel. He graduated from Marshalltown High School with the Class of 1953. On September 5, 1954, he married Marlene Joan Phipps at the First Methodist Church in Marshalltown.

Ralph spent most of his career in the newspaper industry. He started at an early age with the Marshalltown Times-Republican as a carrier and worked his way up to Supervisor of the carriers within the Circulation Department. In 1959 he moved his family to Ames, Iowa, where he was employed by the Ames Daily Tribune as the Circulation Manager. He represented the Tribune for Radio Free Europe and spent a week in Germany in 1962. In 1965 he was hired by the Telegraph Herald as the Circulation Director and moved his family to Dubuque, Iowa to work for a much larger newspaper and territory. Then, on April 1, 1978, Ralph and Marlene decided to purchase an interest in the Grundy Register in Grundy Center, Iowa and once again moved their family. Ralph handled the advertising, Marlene the books, and their partner was the Editor. When their partner retired in 1994, Ralph and Marlene purchased the remaining interest and became the sole owners of the Grundy Register. On April 1, 1998, they sold the Grundy Register to the Hampton Publishing Co. and Ralph retired in July, 1998, and Marlene in January, 1999.

Ralph was a member of the Grundy Center Chamber of Commerce, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and Town & Country Golf Club. Ralph loved fishing and hunting and for years took his family to Iowan Beach Resort in northern Minnesota on vacation. He always looked forward to his fishing trips to Canada with his friends for many years.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 57 years, Marlene, a son David and a grandson Justin.

He is survived by five children, Mark Kothenbeutel and wife Kris of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Christy Benoit and husband Pierre of Newport News, Virginia, Scott Kothenbeutel and wife Cynthia of Suwanee, Georgia, R. Michael Kothenbeutel of Grundy Center, Iowa, Cynthia Powers and husband Kenn of Williamsburg, Kentucky. Also, eight grandchildren, Andrew, Kaitlyn, Jaclyn, Rachel, Greg, Jonathan, Payden, Reed and two great-grandchildren Hailey and Graysen. In addition, two brothers; Carlton Kothenbeutel, Dennis Kothenbeutel and two sisters Marcia Jean Thomas and Sharon Hodnefield.

He was preceded in death by his brother Harold Kothenbeutel.

--Abels Funeral Homes (www.abelsfuneralhomes.com)