Arne R. Christensen

Arne R. Christensen, 86, of Kimball, died at his home in Kimball on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015.

Arne Ray Christensen was born in Kimball on Oct. 26, 1928, the son of Niels and Laura (Timm) Christensen. Arne was raised in Kimball and attended the Kimball schools. He graduated from the Kimball County High School in 1947. He then attended the University of Wyoming at Laramie and played football as a walk on freshman. He attended Wilton Bakery School in Chicago. Arne was drafted into the U.S. Army and served his country during the Korean War as supply sergeant from 1951 until being honorably discharged in 1953.

He returned home and worked for his father in the Kimball Bakery and later purchased the Bakery. He was married to Wanda Kay Peterson at the First English Lutheran Church in Kimball on Nov. 23, 1956. The family made their home in Kimball. Arne sold the bakery to the Kimball Co-op food store in the mid 1990s and continued to work for them until his retirement in 2008.

He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed watching the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Colorado Rockies and the Denver Broncos. He loved golfing, and was one of the original four who started the group of men that golfed every day at noon. When he was younger, he enjoyed fly fishing and hunting and had several field dogs. He had a love and passion for Kimball and was very proud of the mural that was painted on the bakery wall. He also supported Kimball with his time and talent of cooking turkeys for many of the fall dinners that were done in Kimball over the years. He was a member of the Kimball Masonic Lodge #294 A.F. & A.M. Arne was a very quiet and humble man that cared about his family, church and friends, and was a teacher of many things to these people.

Survivors include his wife, Wanda, of Kimball; son, Chuck (Kim) Christensen of Kimball; daughter, Carrie (Brad) Tolsteadt of Alamo, Calif .; brother, Robert (Fran) Christensen of Laramie, Wyo .; sister, Elsie Gonsholt of Colorado Springs, Colo .; granddaughters, Megan Christensen of Denver, Colo., and Kelsey Christensen of Ft. Collins, Colo .; and a great grandson, Carter Rae Bednorz.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Bud (Ida Belle) Christensen.

Celebration of life services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, at the First English Lutheran Church in Kimball with Sister Anne Hall officiating. Burial followed in the Kimball Cemetery.

Friends were able to call at the funeral home on Sunday, Oct. 4, from 1-4 p.m. to sign the register book. Friends may visit http://www.cantrellfh.com to view Arne's tribute wall and share stories and condolences with the family.

Memorials may be given to the First English Lutheran Church at 501 S. Howard, Kimball, NE, 69145. The services for Arne have been entrusted to the Cantrell Funeral Home.