Arnie ‘Ardell’ Bothun, 84
Published 10:57 am Friday, July 11, 2014
Arnie “Ardell” Bothun, 84, of Austin, died early Thursday morning, July 10, 2014, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home.
He was born May 24, 1930, to Andrew and Alma (Hildestad) Bothun in Lanesboro, Minn. When Ardell was young, the family moved to Kenyon where he graduated from high school in 1948. He enlisted in the Marines on Sept. 26, 1951, where he served in the Korean conflict until he was honorably discharged on Sept. 25, 1953. He married Beverly Girard on Nov. 19, 1965, at the Wayside Chapel at Streveling Dairy in Austin. Ardell and Bev lived their entire married life in the Brownsdale/Austin area. Over the years Ardell held a variety of jobs, including milkman and chauffeur. He retired from Hormel. In his retirement, he and Bev owned and operated Maple Manor Board and Care in Brownsdale. A member of Crane Community Chapel, he enjoyed gardening, rug making and activities at the Senior Citizen Center.
Survivors include his wife, Beverly of Austin; daughters, Beverly Jean (Victor) Emery of Waseca, Barbara Geyer of Faribault, Jacqueline (Russell) Morgan of Hampton, Iowa, Melody (Mark) Hailtone of Prior Lake, Robin (James) Hokanson of Brooklyn Park and Suzette (Timothy) Benedick of East Earl, Pa.; one son, Michael (Angela) Bothun of Austin; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sister, Dianne (Bill) Born of Lodgepole, Neb.; sister-in-law, Elaine Wilbur; nieces, nephews; other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Mark and daughter, Heidi; two brothers, Ellert and Merlin; sister, Avis Stevens; his stepfather and stepmother, Manford and Julia Wilbur; grandson, Jesse Hailstone; and great-granddaughter, Lexi Van Steenvoort; sister-in-law, Marion Bothun.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 12, 2014, at Crane Community Chapel with the Rev. Dale Christiansen officiating. Visitation will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon prior to the service at Crane Community Chapel. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery in Austin with military honors provided by Austin’s American Legion Post 91 and V.F.W. Post 1216. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.