Arnold 'Arnie' Wilson

Arnold “Arnie” Wilson, 82, of Sun City, Arizona, died Wednesday, January 30, 2013. A Celebration of Life service will be held 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April 4 at Ochiltree Funeral Service where a luncheon will immediately following services. Burial will be in the Winterset Cemetery, Winterset. Memorials may be directed to the Mid-Week Bell Lions (9923 Desert Hills Dr., Sun City, AZ 85351) or Willowbrook United Methodist Church (19390 N 99th Avenue, Sun City, AZ 85373). Arnold Eldon Wilson was born November 15, 1930 in Winterset, Iowa; the youngest child born to Eldon Lee and Carita Mae (Neely) Wilson. Arnie was raised in Winterset and loved his hometown and even wrote several first person stories about growing up in Madison County. When in high school, Arnie was an athlete and was known for running long distances such as running to the lake and back on a bet. He graduated from WHS in 1948. While in high school he met his future wife Verla Hartman. The couple was married on November 19, 1949 at the United Presbyterian Church in Winterset and to this union three children were born. Arnie attended the Radio Television Electronic Institute in Omaha, NE where he graduated early, ahead of his class becoming a radio engineer working with WLOI in LaPorte, IN, KNIM in Maryville, MO and KJAN in Atlantic, IA. Arnie was a commissioned Officer of the Missouri National Guard and in 1959 began work with Philco Corp installing communications equipment for the United States Air Force. Later, in the mid 1960’s, Arnie was employed in Civil Service and continued his work installing communications equipment for the Air Force. During this time working for the Air Force, he lived in Guam, MI; Oahu, HI; Rome, NY; Harrisonville, MO and traveled world-wide and around the world at least twice, losing count of the number of countries he visited. From 1974 to 1980, Arnie and Verla owned and operated KIEE Radio in Harrisonville, MO. The town of Harrrisonville even honored him with an Arnie Wilson Day and a “This is Your Life Celebration.” Arnie was very patriotic, loved the flag and loved his church and when he and Verla ran their radio station there was a prime advertising slot at noon that he would never sell. Rather, he dedicated this slot to “God and Country” and played something spiritual or patriotic every day at noon. From 1980 through 1985, Arnie devoted time to church, Lions International and other civic works, including city and community projects and he supported the Sheltered Workshop for persons with disabilities. In 1985, Arnie returned to the Air Force Civil Service and installed cryptographic communications equipment and he was project engineer on “cut-over” rewiring Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, CO. Arnie and Verla retired to Sun City, Arizona where Arnie remained active in Bell Lions where he held every office and received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, the highest honor in Lions International. He was also a member of the Willowbrook Methodist Church where he enjoyed running the sound and lights. He loved golfing and taking long car trips, preferably across the whole country. Those left to honor Arnie’s memory are his wife of 63 years, Verla Wilson of Sun City, AZ; his children, Linda Mardel of Sun City, AZ; Bradley Arnold Wilson of Rochester, NY and a grandson, Jason Gawarecki of Baldwinsville, NY. He is also survived by three brothers-in-law, Rolland Jamison of Winterset, IA; Don (Catherine) Brown of Wisconsin Rapids, WI; Gail (Jean) Brown of West Des Moines, IA; two sisters-in-law, Velma (Glen) Acorn of Des Moines, IA; Carolyn Wilson Farr of Winterset, IA and many nieces and nephews, many who referred to Arnie as “my favorite uncle.” He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Julie Marie Wilson; a grandson, David Gawarecki and his siblings, Marvin Wilson, Dawn Winghter, Carolyn Jamison and Richard Wilson.