Merle D. ARENDS

ARENDS, HOOK, NELSON, WICHMAN, DYVIG, JOHNSON, HARKLAU, BIRD, CESSNA, ARMSTRONG

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/1/2007 at 19:35:19

May 11, 2001
Mason City Globe Gazette

CLEAR LAKE - Merle D. Arends, 79, of 3714 N. Shore Drive, Clear Lake, Iowa died Wednesday (May 9, 2001) at the Humboldt Hospital, Humboldt, Iowa. His funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 12, 2001 at the United Methodist Church, 508 Second Ave. N. in Clear Lake, with the Rev. Fred Lewis officiating. The graveside service will be held the same day at 3 p.m. at the Union Cemetery in Humboldt. Visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. today at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St, Clear Lake. Memorials may be directed to the Merle D. Arends Memorial Fund.

Merle was born March 23, 1922 in Grundy Center, Iowa, the son of Peter and Grace (Hook) Arends. He graduated from Dike High School and served in the United States Army during World War II. Merle was united in marriage to Eleanor Nelson on Feb. 21, 1943 in Goldfield, Iowa. He worked as a car salesman for many years, first in Waterloo, then Humboldt and finally in Cedar Rapids. Merle then began to develop real estate in the Clear Lake area, later working as a realtor for Lake Realty until his retirement.
Merle enjoyed golfing, hunting, spending time on Clear Lake, and wintering in Florida with his wife. He was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan and sports fan. He especially enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren play sports through the years. Merle was a member of the Clear Lake United Methodist Church and several church committees.

Merle will be greatly missed by his wife, Eleanor, of Clear Lake, his son, Dale Arends and his wife, Paula, of Humboldt, their two children, Amy Wichman and her husband, Jim, and their daughter, Emma Kate, of Bettendorf, and Amanda Dyvig and her husband, Jeremy, of Clive; his son, Marc Arends and his wife, Linda, of Humboldt, and their two children, Alecia Johnson and her husband, Dr. Chris Johnson, of North Liberty and Abbey Arends and her fiancé, Ryan Harklau, of Humboldt; his son, Scott Arends and his wife, Anna, and their daughter, Ashley, all of Mason City; and his son Brad Arends and his wife, Kathy and their son, Andrew, all of Ft. Dodge; one brother, Grant Arends and his wife, Lucille, of Cedar Falls; two sisters, Irene Bird and her husband, Clyde, of Waterloo and Ruth Cessna of Rockford, IL; and many nieces and nephews. Merle was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Violet Armstrong and her husband, Oscar. Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel.