Ralph Arneson

Ralph L. Arneson was born May 29, 1922, in Northfield, Minnesota, to F. B. and Lillian (Knutson) Arneson. He was baptized at home, confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church, and graduated from Northfield High School in 1940. Following graduation he worked a few years until joining the US Army. During WWII he served in the Army Engineers Corp for three and half years. Following his discharge he returned to Northfield and married Lyla Halverson on April 10, 1948, at St. John’s. He received his Bachelors degree from St. Olaf College in 1950, and for 8 years had an insurance agency in Northfield, and at times had been involved in sales and promotion. Ralph did his graduate work at Northern Illinois University at DeKalb. He was then employed as an educator and guidance counselor by the Illinois Department of Corrections for 25 years. Ralph and Lyla returned to Northfield in 1993.

While in DeKalb, Ralph, Lyla, and their children were active at First Lutheran Church. At First Lutheran he sang in the church choir for 25 years and served on many boards and committees. He was also active with the Illinois Teachers Association . Since returning to Northfield, Ralph had been active with the Northfield Troubadors (formerly the Northfield Male Chorus), in Rotary, with the Chamber of Commerce, and as a board member of the Northfield Library.

Survivors include his wife of nearly 60 years, Lyla; his daughter, Renee Fredrickson of rural Lakeville; his son and daughter-in-law, Ted and Catherine of Ivanhoe, Illinois; 4 grandchildren: Nichole, Daniel (Stephanie), John and David. 5 great-grandchildren: Jeffrey, Lauren, Nicholas, Parker and Payton; his sisters: Norma LaFond of Brainerd, Carol DeWolfe of Redwood Falls, Helen Coe of Delaware; his brother and sister-in-law, Paul and June of Bemidji; his sister-in-law, Susan Arneson of Florida; his in-laws: Elna (Sherwin) Hansen, Maxine Halverson, Gloria (Arvid) Boyum, Margaret (Rev. Gene) Heglund, Arlys (Darrell) Wiese; nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers: Harold, Rev. Frederick (Joan), and David; his sisters: Ruth (James) Coates, Esther (Paul) Roos; his brothers-in-law, Donald Owen, Bud LaFond, Herbert DeWolfe, Jack Coe, Gordon Halverson; and his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Helen and Eddie Halverson.

Ralph passed away from acute respiratory failure, with his family by his side, on Sunday morning, March 16, 2008, at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, at the age of 85.

Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, March 19, 2008, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield with Revs. Gene Heglund and John Quam officiating. Music will be provided by Karla Miller, Fred Coates and the Northfield Troubadors. Interment will be in Trondhjem Cemetery, Lonsdale. Casket bearers will be Nichole, Daniel, Stephanie, John and David Fredrickson and Jessica Olson. Visitation will be 4-8 P.M. Tuesday, March 18, 2008, at the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home in Northfield. Visitation will continue at the church on Wednesday, one hour prior to the funeral.

Memorials are preferred to St. John’s Lutheran Church or the Trondjhem Cemetery Association.

Arrangements are with the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home.