1925
Arnold
2008
Arnold Claassen
February 4, 1925 — January 11, 2008
Arnold Herman Claassen, age 82, of Ottertail, MN, passed away Friday, January 11, 2008, at his home. Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 19, 2008, beginning at 2:00 PM at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Perham, with Pastor Del Stohs officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday, January 18, at Schoeneberger Funeral Home, Perham, from 4:00 - 8:00 pm and one hour prior to the funeral at the church.
Arnold was born to Eielt and Marie (Haufschild) Claassen on February 4, 1925, in Bancroft, SD. Arnold was the youngest of three children. His family moved to the Ottertail, MN, area in 1934 where they settled and where Arnold grew up. He graduated from Perham High School in 1943. It was then, the middle of WWII, and Arnold stayed to help his mother until the wars conclusion while his father went to Idaho to work in industry to assist with the war effort. Arnold then went on to attend college at the University of Minnesota where he graduated with a degree in agriculture. After finishing his schooling, Arnold found employment as the County Extension Agent for Rock Country and Lincoln County in the field of agriculture. Arnold served in this position for thirty years and took great pride and pleasure from his duties as the County Extension Agent while in the area. He made many life-long friends and he especially enjoyed helping young children with their 4H projects. He made many trips to the State Fair over the years with his young charges so they could show their animals and various projects at the fair. Upon retiring, Arnold moved back to the Ottertail area. Some of his favorite activities were singing in the St. Paul's church choir, fishing, and playing cards; he also spent many fond hours in the company of fellow golf friends.
Although Arnold never had children of his own, he was very much a family man and endeavored to help, to the best of his ability, in raising the children of his brother and his sister, whose fathers had both been taken by untimely deaths when the children were young. Arnold Claassen touched the lives of all who knew him and he was regarded by all as about as good and honest of a man as you will ever find. He was loved, and he will be missed.
Arnold is survived by a sister-in-law, Tanya Claassen, Perham MN; three nieces, Donna (Tim) Buchda, Sparta, WI; Linda (Gary) Propstein, Johnston, IA; and Randi Claassen, Perham, MN; two nephews, Erwin Barney, Verndale, MN; and Raymond Claassen, Ottertail, MN; and many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.
Preceding Arnold in death are his parents; a brother, Robert; and a sister, Elsie.
Arnold was born to Eielt and Marie (Haufschild) Claassen on February 4, 1925, in Bancroft, SD. Arnold was the youngest of three children. His family moved to the Ottertail, MN, area in 1934 where they settled and where Arnold grew up. He graduated from Perham High School in 1943. It was then, the middle of WWII, and Arnold stayed to help his mother until the wars conclusion while his father went to Idaho to work in industry to assist with the war effort. Arnold then went on to attend college at the University of Minnesota where he graduated with a degree in agriculture. After finishing his schooling, Arnold found employment as the County Extension Agent for Rock Country and Lincoln County in the field of agriculture. Arnold served in this position for thirty years and took great pride and pleasure from his duties as the County Extension Agent while in the area. He made many life-long friends and he especially enjoyed helping young children with their 4H projects. He made many trips to the State Fair over the years with his young charges so they could show their animals and various projects at the fair. Upon retiring, Arnold moved back to the Ottertail area. Some of his favorite activities were singing in the St. Paul's church choir, fishing, and playing cards; he also spent many fond hours in the company of fellow golf friends.
Although Arnold never had children of his own, he was very much a family man and endeavored to help, to the best of his ability, in raising the children of his brother and his sister, whose fathers had both been taken by untimely deaths when the children were young. Arnold Claassen touched the lives of all who knew him and he was regarded by all as about as good and honest of a man as you will ever find. He was loved, and he will be missed.
Arnold is survived by a sister-in-law, Tanya Claassen, Perham MN; three nieces, Donna (Tim) Buchda, Sparta, WI; Linda (Gary) Propstein, Johnston, IA; and Randi Claassen, Perham, MN; two nephews, Erwin Barney, Verndale, MN; and Raymond Claassen, Ottertail, MN; and many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.
Preceding Arnold in death are his parents; a brother, Robert; and a sister, Elsie.
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