Eleanora B. Arntz

ELEANORA ARNTZ

Eleanora Bertha (Kempert) Arntz, 99, of Grand Forks, died peacefully at home on August 15, 2020.

El was born April 10, 1921, to Jacob and Wilhelmina (Lange) Kempert and raised on a farm near Wales, ND.

Eleanor worked in a variety of jobs in Chicago and Benton Harbor, MI, where she met the love of her life, Clifford Arntz.  They married on February 12, 1943 in Las Cruces, NM, while he was in service to the U.S. Army.  Cliff and Eleanora farmed near Wales, ND, and raised 5 girls until 1954, when they moved to Grand Forks where their son was born. 

In Grand Forks she had a daycare and was “mom” to over 100 children over the years, many of whom were like little brothers and sisters to her own children.  El was an awesome mom and enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, teaching them how to play, work and love.  She and Cliff loved to travel and go camping, which they thoroughly enjoyed into their late 80s.  They were also members of a whist club with many of their friends throughout the years.  She was a great cook and did many forms of needlework.  She especially enjoyed knitting Christmas stockings for everyone in the family (and extended-extended family!) and made a set of needlepoint Christmas ornaments for all her grandchildren.

Eleanora is survived by her children: Gloria (Gail) Larson, Fargo, ND; Peggy Christian, Descanso, CA; Diana (Richard) Parton, Thompson, ND; Carol (Fred) Voosen, Vancouver, WA; Joan (Paul) Erickson, Grand Forks, ND;  and Barry (Cheryl) Arntz, Thompson, ND; 13 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.

 She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, siblings Regina McDougall, Edward, Bernard, Irene Ellis and Delaine Slagle, son-in-law, Dennis Hathaway, granddaughter Kelly Arntz, and grandsons, James Parton and Dax Christian.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 am on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at United Lutheran Church. Her ashes will be interred at Memorial Park South Cemetery, Grand Forks, following the service.

Memorials may be donated to the Salvation Army, Grand Forks Senior Center or Hospice of the Red River Valley.

You may view the video of the memorial service from this link: https://youtu.be/IKCeHzinRso