Arno Miller Obituary (1921

Arno Miller, 97, Hastings, IA passed away at home on September 14, 2018. Funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at the Loess Hills Funeral Home in Malvern, IA. Burial with military honors will be in the Hastings Cemetery. Visitation will be held two hour prior to the service from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials: Hastings Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund Arno Nelson Miller, one of two children of Mary Elizabeth (Keys) and Lew A. Miller, was born on September 5, 1921 on a farm near Glenwood, Iowa. He graduated from the Glenwood High School in 1939 and began farming with his father near Emerson, Iowa. In 1941, Arno went to California to work for Lockheed, building airplanes. He soon moved back to Iowa and worked for Martin Aircraft in Bellevue, NE (which later became Offutt Air Force Base). Arno decided he would like to become a pilot and fly, so he enlisted in the Army Air Corp, serving from 1943 to 1945. Arno and Anna Mae Benedict were united in marriage on June 3, 1944. Following his honorable discharge in 1945, the couple returned to Iowa to farm the same farm his father did until later purchasing their own farm near Hastings, Iowa. Their marriage was blessed with daughter Donna Rae and son Jeffrey Arno. Arno loved and enjoyed his family and friends. He enjoyed fishing and had a love for fast cars. Anna and Arno spent their winters in Mesa, Arizona, where they went dancing every Saturday night. They were married 53 years before her death in 1998. Arno married Mary (Blankartz) Meler, a long-time friend, from Murrieta, California. They reside in California for 2 years until her death in 2001. Arno returned Iowa to live. Arno died at his home, surrounded by his family, on September 14, 2018, at the age of 97 years and 9 days. In addition to his wives, Anna and Mary, he was preceded in death by his parents; sister Nellie Miller; and brothers-in-law, Kenneth Benedict, Francis Benedict, George Benedict, and Tom Benedict. Arno is survived by his daughter Donna Brown of Hastings; son Jeff Miller and wife Shirley of Hastings; five grandchildren, Sharon Wilson and husband Doug of Papillion, NE, Traci Ross and husband Bryan of Colorado Springs, CO, Staci Miller of Council Bluffs, IA, Jason Miller and wife Ashlee of Nebraska City, NE, and Jordan Miller and friend Brittany Wolfe of Glenwood, IA; 15 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; brother-in-law Keith Benedict and wife Rose of Burbank, IL; sisters-in-law, Connie Benedict of Creston, IA, and Carol Benedict of Davis City, IA; many nieces and nephews; and a host of friends.