Lee C Arensberg, 90, of Vintage Park, in Atchison, KS passed away on Saturday, May 27, 2017 at the Atchison Hospital. Lee received exemplary care by all of the wonderful and dedicated staff at Vintage Park and while at the Atchison Hospital. Special thanks also to Connie McRae, Jacob Campbell, Patty Housh and the St. Croix Hospice staff, as well as everyone at Lopez de Mexico (Anne, Amanda, Debbie and Presley) for helping enrich his later life with family and friends.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 am on Thursday, June 1, 2017 at St. Benedicts Parish Church with Fr. Jeremy Heppler, OSB and Abbot Barnabus Senecal, OSB Con-Celebrating. Burial will follow in the Mt. Calvary Cemetery. A parish prayer service will be held at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, May 31st, at the Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home with visitation with the family to follow until 8:30 pm. Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Benedict’s Church, St. Benedicts Abbey, Benedictine College, or the Benedictine Sisters and may be sent in care of the funeral home. Condolences to the family may be left online at www.beckerdyer.com.
Lee Curran Arensberg was born on June 12, 1926 in Atchison Kansas, the son of Lee Charles and Agnes (Curran) Arensberg. Lee saw Naval Service in World War II, on the USS Destroyer, Henry Laub 1944 – 1946, and following his service in World War II, he attended and graduated from Benedictine College with a degree in business and accounting.
While going to Benedictine College, Lee started working part-time at Howard & Kohler Shoe Store starting in 1947. Upon graduating from Benedictine-Lee, his brother (Jack) and mother (Agnes) purchased the store and established Arensberg Shoe Store in 1953,with a later second location in Lawrence and which served the Atchison community for over 50 years until 2002.
Throughout his career, Lee was involved in many community clubs and organizations including the Atchison Chamber of Commerce, Fellowship Club, Knights of Columbus, Elks, American Legion, VFW, Bellevue and Pineview Country Clubs and was a lifelong member of St. Benedict’s church where he participated in Perpetual Adoration and was a Eucharistic Minister to shut-ins.
Lee was known for his keen sense of humor, enjoyed a (not-so occasional) beverage or 2-or maybe 3 and always liked to have a good time. In addition to his intense walking routines, over planting and (over-treating) numerous oak varieties for himself, neighbors and friends, Lee also enjoyed fly-fishing with his family in Crested Butte Colorado every summer-starting at a very young age with his parents and family.
On Nov. 4, 1952 he married the love of his life, Luetta P. Henry. They had a wonderful life together and he will be dearly missed.
He is survived by his beloved wife of almost 65 years, Luetta Pauline (“Lulu”) Arensberg; sons, Lee C. Arensberg (Dan), Mark W. Arensberg (Renny) and James A. Arensberg (Renee); and daughter, Janet G. Arensberg; five grandchildren, Mark C. Arensberg (Katie), Elise C. Arensberg-Byrom (Casey), Briana Arensberg-Smith (Cameron), Annmarie C. Arensberg, Aidan J Arensberg and three great grandchildren (Hudson and Georgia Arensberg and Lincoln Smith just born 5-23-17) as well as his brother, Jack Arensberg (Mary) and sister, Gay Lacy (Vincent). Lee was preceded in death by his father, Lee Charles Arensberg and mother, Agnes Curran Arensberg