Arnold D. Klaassen
Born: October 27, 1914
Place: Hillsboro, Kansas
Died: April 26, 1984
Place: Goessel, Kansas
Buried: Tabor Cemetery, Goessel, Kansas
MOTHER:
Aganetha Duerksen
FATHER:
Dietrich A. Klaassen
SIBLINGS:
Aganetha D. Klaassen
Helena D. Klaassen
Isaac D. Klaassen
Anna D. Klaassen
Maria D. Klaassen
Louisa D. Klaassen
Tina D. Klaassen
Benjamin D. Klaassen
Eva D. Klaassen
Susanna D. Klaassen
Sara D. Klaassen
David D. Klaassen
Herman D. Klaassen
Dietrich D. Klaassen
SPOUSE:
Martha R. Doerksen
Married: June 11, 1937
Place: Inman, Kansas
CHILDREN:
Donald Ray Klaassen
Marcia Diann Klaassen
Widowed: July 10, 1977
BIOGRAPHY
Arnold D. Klaassen was born October 27, 1914 on a farm near Hillsboro, Kansas to Dietrich A. and Aganetha (Duerksen) Klaassen. He was the youngest of 15 children. His early education was received at Hope Valley Elementary School near Hillsboro and later High School at Hillsboro -- where he greatly enjoyed playing football (in spite of breaking his collarbone). To be able to play, Arnold had to rise early in the morning to chore by himself while his other brothers who didn't go to school, slept late. He also had to agree to do chores after football practice, keep up his grades and walk to school. Out of his family of 17, Arnold was the only one to graduate high school.
Arnold (middle row, center) on the high school football team
He was baptized on the confession of his faith on August 13, 1938 by Rev. J. P. Balzer at the Gospel Mission Church at Inman.
On June 11, 1937 he married Martha R. Doerksen at the Inman Bethel Mennonite Church. They lived near Inman about 4 years and then moved to the Goessel community in 1941. They attended the Tabor Church thereafter. A son, Donald, was born March 27, 1940, and a daughter, Marcia, on June 15, 1946. In 1962, Arnold and Martha celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.
Arnold enjoyed many years of farming, carpentry work, working at the Newton Truck Dock, custom baling, plus working at various other types of jobs. He worked 15 years (part-time) for the ASC Office. He was involved in church work as a trustee, treasurer, usher, and member of the men's chorus.
Some of the fun times with Grandpa the grandchildren remember are going swimming, picking mulberries, fishing, swinging in the hayloft, and eating watermelon.
He was very proud of his children and grandchildren, and enjoyed following the grandchildren's activities in music and sports. He loved to garden, play harmonica, bake cookies, and cut wood. He still heated with a wood stove, and when someone asked him his occupation, he would say, "I heat with wood" (meaning this was a full-time job in itself).
Arnold enjoyed life, people, music, work and sporting events. He always made a person feel welcome and could lift your spirits - no matter how you had been feeling. A person couldn't leave his home without being offered food or a cold drink of water. He could see the good side of every situation and knew what to say to take the sting out of disappointments and failures.
Arnold passed on to his heavenly home on April 26, 1984 at his farm home from an apparent heart attack. He was age 69. He was preceded in death by his wife, Martha; his sisters, Agnes Just, Lena Ensz, Anna Jost, Louise Klaassen, Tina Thiessen; his brothers, Isaac, Benjamin, and Dick.
Surviving him is a son, Donald and wife Ruth, their three children, Lisa, Suzanne, and Brent of Wichita; a daughter, Marcia and husband Norman Hiebert, their three children, Mike, Lonnie and Deena of Route 2, Newton; his sisters, Mary Thiessen (Inman), Eva Brandt (Wichita), Susie Winter and husband Ed P. (Hillsboro), Sarah Bell (Marion); his brothers, David Klaassen and wife, Frieda (Hillsboro), and Herman Klaassen and wife, Kathryn (Walton).
MEMORIES OF DAD
By Marcia (Klaassen) Hiebert
Dad never threw anything away.
He would always comment on how nice our place looked. "You sure have a nice place here."
He liked to trim up the trees and plant potatoes.
He recalled just recently before he died how he and I had shared that one apricot last summer. "Sure was good."
He would sometimes make the remark about how wonderful it was that we only needed to plant one seed and God would multiply it.
He loved to give things to people. He was a very generous man.
He told Mike just a few months before he died, "If you trust and believe in God, he will take care of you."
He would always say, "I love you all. Tell the kids I love them."
Sometimes he would call just to see if everybody was alright.
Dad knew no strangers. He was a friends to everyone he met.
