Roland Arlton

Roland died peacefully on February 3, 2013 at Bethany Lutheran Nursing Home, Sioux Falls. Roland Felix Arlton was born in Iowa City, Iowa on September 11, 1920. He attended twelve years of public school in Mitchell, SD and two years at Dakota Wesleyan University. He graduated from Augustana College in 1942. In World War II he served in the Military Radio Intelligence, monitoring enemy messages for two and a half years near Delhi, India. Returning after military service, he taught English and Latin on a conditional permit in Dodgeville, WI where Marie Hanson, whom he had know in college, instructed Middle school history and science. The two were married April 17, 1946. Roland and Marie with baby son, Hans, traveled to Norway for 10 months while Roland attended the University of Oslo. They returned to America where they designed and built their house and raised a total of 9 children in Lennox. SD. Roland taught vocal music and English in Lennox high school; English, band and vocal music at Hurley, SD, both high school and upper grade school. He taught music, art and social studies at Crippled Children's Hospital and School (now Children's Care) in Sioux Falls for 13 years. He and Marie started a Christian bookstore and pottery studio on their property in a building they built from salvaged lumber. He designed and produced many church anniversary plates over the years. After 11 years of operating the store, the two retired. Roland was a gifted piano player and organist from an early age. He played with the Mitchell school orchestra and was the organist for a local church starting at age 12. He and his three brothers were inventive and operated a neighborhood radio station from their home. While still in high school, he passed the exam for the Advanced class amateur radio license. In Lennox, he played the organ and piano for First English Lutheran Church for over 30 years. Hobbies included amateur radio broadcasting, woodworking, playing piano, writing letters and articles, and pottery making. He enjoyed telling Depression era and army stories. He and Marie enjoyed traveling to family and friends, and made two trips to Norway. They entertained many friends and relatives in their home over the years. Their 55 years together ended with Marie's death in 2002. In addition to his wife Marie, he was preceded in death by his parents Alexander and Clara (Stensgaard) Arlton, three brothers, Dean, Stan and Paul, daughters Kristi Arlton and Rondi Arlton Eastby. He is survived by sons Hans Arlton, Minneapolis, MN, Rolf Arlton, Fairfield, IA and Erik Arlton (Lula) Sioux Falls, SD and son-in-law John Eastby, Farmville, VA; and daughters Ingrid Arlton (Larry Putnam), Rapid City, SD and Solvei Stohl (Peter), Kaunas, Lithuania, Nitra Doyle (Pat) Omaha, NE and Elise Hickey (Mike), Lennox, SD; grandchildren: Luke and Andrea Putnam, Karin and Nitra Eastby, Phillip and Sean Doyle, Ivan and Kiersten Hickey, and Matthew Arlton., and many in-laws, nieces and nephews. Memorial services will begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8 at First English Lutheran Church. Lennox. Visitation for the public will begin at 7:00 p.m. Thursday at Dindot-Klusmann Funeral Home, Lennox with the family present from 7 to 8 p.m. memorial may be directed to First English Lutheran Church or the Lennox Municipal Band.

Roland Arlton

September 11, 1920 - February 3, 2013

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