Russell Arneson

Russell Arneson, age 97, formerly of Harmony, Minn., passed away on Tuesday evening, October 20, 2020, at the Grand Meadow Healthcare Center.

Russell Vergene was born on July 25, 1923, to Ole and Celia (Dahly) Arneson in rural Howard County, Iowa.  He graduated from Lime Springs High School.  On October 25, 1945, he married the love of his life, Geneva Wilken.

Russell and Geneva raised their loving family on a century family farm outside of Lime Springs where nothing but Oliver tractors were allowed on site and of course, nothing but a Ford would be parked in the garage.  With his love of the outdoors, when they sold the farm and moved to Harmony, the lawn mower became his new tractor and the resulting meticulously manicured lawn proved you can never mow the lawn too many times.

Russell loved to travel with his trusty navigator, Geneva, by his side, exploring the U.S., and traveling to see the sights or visit friends/grandchildren in far-away destinations and of course, trying out new places to eat.

Russell also loved to play games of all types with close friends, family and his grandchildren – cards, Monopoly, and later in life Bingo and Dominoes became his staple; playing almost every day.

He was a craftsman at heart, creating many, many wood projects after moving to Harmony, several of which are still around and used by family, hold kids’ toys, or adorn family walls.  Geneva provided the finishing touches, taking care of the staining or painting to make them shine. 

He had a zest for life, an infectious laugh, and an abundant appetite for good food.  He also loved to do exactly what people said he couldn’t do; perhaps epitomized by hopping in a go-kart when he was 80 to race his grandsons around a track in Tennessee and crawling up in a tractor (the wrong color of course!) with his grandson when he was 95, to go do some farming. 

He also loved to visit with friends and family and never met a stranger he couldn’t strike up a lively conversation with.  Russell also loved to watch football, wrestling, and was an avid reader, especially Westerns, keeping his kids busy trying to find new books he hadn’t read yet.

But most of all, Russell had an unwavering love for his family and grand- and great-grandchildren who always brought a smile to his face.  He loved to go to their activities, especially Saturday morning elementary football, and listen to their many stories or simply watch them play and enjoy their time with their GG.

He will be dearly missed, but we know he is in a better place, holding his sweetheart and greeting long-lost friends and family in the same way as he did on earth – with a strong handshake and a twinkle in his blue eyes that made you wonder when he was going to create some mischief. 

Those left to hold onto his memory are his two children, Linda (Fred) O’Connor of Preston, Minn., and Larry (Joyce) Arneson of Spring Valley, Minn.; five grandchildren: Darren (Kelly) O’Connor, Derek (Janet) O’Connor, Evan O’Connor, Shelby (Zach) Sorenson and Lance (Corbin) Arneson; 10 great-grandchildren: Jeremy, Dillon, Haley, Carter, Spencer, Chase, Reagan, Payton, Taylee and Drew.

Russell was preceded in death by his parents Ole and Celia, his wife Geneva, and a brother and a sister.

A private family service will be held in the days to come.  Please plan to join the family for a Celebration of Life next spring/ summer.  We look forward to a time when we can all be together and share in the wonderful life that Russell lived.