Arens, John J. 1892-1946

ARENS, SCHROEDER

Posted By: Bob Arens (email)
Date: 8/2/2005 at 20:22:01

ARENS, JOHN J. 1892-1946
John J. Arens 1892-1946 obituary in the January 2, 1947 Fulda Free Press.

J. J. Arens of Dundee Called Christmas Day
Funeral Services Held at Dundee Saturday Morning

John J. Arens, prominent businessman and civic leader of Dundee [MN], passed away the evening of Christmas day, his death coming as a shock to both family and friends. Mr. Arens had suffered with heart trouble for some time and the cause of this death was coronary thrombosis. The heart condition caused an illness when he was in St. Paul a year ago in September, and on the advise of his physician he sold his hardware business in Dundee to lighten his work. He has since suffered several lighter attacks in the past year, an on Christmas Day had recurrent attacks, in the last of which he passed away.

Mr. Arens had given much to the Dundee community, having served on both the village council and the school board, and was a generous supporter of the Catholic church, and of civic projects. Her served as Dundee chairman of all the War Bond drives during the war. [World War Two] He was a member of St. Mary'' Catholic church, and of the Knights of Columbus and of the Catholic Order of Foresters.

John J. Arens, son of Anton and Margaret [Schroeder] Arens, was born at Remsen, Iowa on November 4, 1892. He spent his childhood in Remsen and at Thurston Nebraska. From the latter place he moved with his parents to Currie, and in 1901 to Dundee where he has since lived. His father operated the hardware business and John received his training in the store there.

In 1914 Mr. Arens was married to Marie Deutschman and the couple lived for a time at Dennison, Iowa, where he managed a store for the Decker-Sitz Company. They moved to Hadley in 1918 and two years later returned to Dundee where he went into partnership with his father, taking over the store in 1928 on the death of his father. He combined insurance with his store work and when he sold the hardware in September 1945, continued in the insurance business. He was preceded in death by two sons, Clayton in 1924, and Milton in 1927, and by his parents, and one brother, Anton of St. Paul who died in 1943. He is survived by his wife and by three sons, Gregory, John Jay and Roger, all of Dundee; also by four sisters, Mrs. F. L. Haberman (Agnes) of Windom, Mrs. L. W. Hedrick (Mayme) of Heron Lake, Mrs. A. H. Bodelson (Nettie) of Fulda, and Mrs. A. J. Hanzel (Betty [Elizbeth]) of St. Paul.

A Requiem High Mass was said at St. Mary's Catholic church in Dundee on Saturday morning with Rev. Father Wm. Collins of Dundee as Celebrant, Father Redder of Fountain [MN] as Deacon, Father Ryan of Brewster [MN] and Father Freckin of Heron Lake [MN] assisting. The pallbearers were six nephews of the deceased, LeRoy, Allen and Duane Hedrick, Kennon and Luverne Haberman and Dr. Adrian Bodelson of Minneapolis [MN]. The remains were laid to rest in St. Mary's cemetery in Dundee [MN].

Among the relatives who attended the funeral services were Mr. and Mrs. [Elizbeth Arens] A. J. Hanzel, Mrs. [Lillian Holt] A. P. Arens, Mr. and Mrs. [Ardith Bodelson] George Toman of St. Paul; James Hanzel of New Prague [MN], Mr. and Mrs. [Unknown] Walter Ebert and Mr. and Mrs. [Unknown] Ben Deutschman of LeCenter [MN], Mr. and Mrs. [unknown] Ernest Deutschman and Charlene, Henry Deutschman and Mrs. [unknown] Leo Dolan of Hawarden, Iowa; Mrs. [unknown] Jack Neuman of Sioux City [IA], Mr. and Mrs. [unknown] Clyde Tripp and Mr. and Mrs. [unknown] F. D. Sontag of Heron Lake, Dr. Adrian Bodelson of Minneapolis, Mr. and Mrs. [Antoinette Margaret (Nettie) Arens] A. H. Bodelson of Fulda, Mr. and Mrs. [Agnes A. Arens] F. L. Haberman of Windom, and Mr. and Mrs. [Mayme M. Arens] L. W. Hedrick of Heron Lake. Many friends from neighboring towns were also in attendance.