Lester R. Arend

Lester Raymond Arend, 87, of St. Joseph, passed away on Wednesday, July 20, 2005, at Orchard Grove Nursing Home in Benton Harbor. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 A.M., on Monday, July 25, 2005, at St. Peter?s UCC Church, 623 Church St., St. Joseph with Rev. Randy Doyle officiating. Burial will follow in Ruggles Cemetery in Baroda. Friends may call on the family 4:00 to 7:00 P.M., Sunday, July 24, 2005, at Kerley- Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to the Selmer Scholarship Fund at St. Peter?s UCC Church. Friends may send the family a condolence message or sign the guest book on-line at www.starks-menchinger.com. Lester was born May 5, 1918, in Baroda to Clarence and Myrl (Lauer) Arend, the eldest of six sons. As a youth, he worked on the fruit farms around the area, and never lost his taste for the fresh tree fruit. In his later years, he always picked fruit for his own use and that of friends and the church. He entered the manufacturing world at Clark Equipment Company in Berrien Springs and then moved on to Whirlpool Corporation. He retired in 1973 after 22 years in manufacturing management. He was a member of the Whirlpool Management Club, Old Timers, and received awards for his work in Junior Achievement. He worked in chemical sales after his retirement. He was a charter member of the Berrien County Youth Fair board, and helped to plant the trees on the grounds. Beginning in 1984, he and Cora spent seven winters in Arizona and Les pursued a hobby of collecting and working with rocks. Another hobby was flowers and their home on August Drive in Fairplain for over 20 years was a showplace for flowers and blossoming bushes. He also enjoyed being substitute grandfather to his neighbor girls, Stephanie, Sarah, Jamie, and Hayley Herzog. He is survived by his wife Cora, whom he married September 20, 1980; a son Douglas (Lee) Arend and twin granddaughters, Ruth and Sarah of Evanston, IL; brothers, Vere (Marian) Arend of Baroda, Delbert (Dorothy) Arend of San Diego, CA, and Earl (Marcia) Arend of Sturgis. Also surviving are three stepdaughters, Joyce Cronin of Buchanan, Dr. Carol (Dr. Tom) Leonard, Berkeley, CA, and Kathy (Allen) Anderson of Three Rivers; two stepsons, Larry (Charlotte) Hurlbutt, CPO USN (retired) of Waterford, CT and CMSGT Albert (Valerie) Hurlbutt of Gurnee, IL; twelve step grandchildren, Susan Simmons, Jill (Steve) Wright, Michael (Louann) Cronin, James (Peggy) Cronin, Peter Leonard, Anne Leonard, William (Lois) Burandt, Rodney (Emily) Burandt, Erin (Matt) Wheadon, Michelle (Michael) Fletcher, Brad Hurlbutt, and Greg Hurlbutt; seventeen step great grandchildren; three great, great step grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews and an aunt, Eileen Lauer. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, A. Lynn Arend in 1998 and Ray Arend in 2004; and his beloved ?Uncle Butch?, Roland Lauer in 1999.He was a member of St. Peter?s UCC Church. For many years he was a ?handyman? for the church.