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William Theodore Arnesen 1931 - 2020

William Theodore Arnesen was born on September 4, 1931 in Grafton, North Dakota United States to Ella Mae (Chester) Arnesen and William Martin Arnesen, and had siblings Ellis Dale Arnesen and Harris Ray Arnesen. William Arnesen died at age 89 years old on November 7, 2020 at Olympia, WA in Olympia, WA.

William Theodore Arnesen

Bill

September 4, 1931

Grafton, North Dakota, 58237, United States

November 7, 2020

Olympia, WA in Olympia, Washington, United States

Male

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William Theodore Arnesen William Arnesen (1931 - 2020)

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William Theodore Arnesen's History: 1931 - 2020

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09/4

1931

Birthday

September 4, 1931

Birthdate

Grafton, North Dakota 58237, United States

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

His Parents are: William Martin Arnesen and Ella Mae Chester both born in ND, USA. Paternal Grandpartens are: Alfred William Arnesen from Bergen Norway and Mathelda D. Selliken (where unknown). Maternal Grandparents are: Theodore Harris Chester from England and Anna Alfreda Campbell from Scotland.
Military Service

Yes, US Army
Personal Life & Family

Married Hildegard Resch on 11-July-1957 in Bad Saden, Taunus, Germany while serving in the Army. Bill adapoted Hildegards son, Hans Peter. They moved to North Dakota, USA, then Berkley California where they had daughter Johanna M. in Nov of 1960. Then moved to Seattle Washington where Peter graduated before the family settled in Olympia, WA on family property.
11/7

2020

Death

November 7, 2020

Death date

Unknown
Cause of death

Olympia, WA in Olympia, Washington United States
Death location

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Obituary

William Theodore Arnesen, know as Bill: Bill Arnesen resided in rural Olympia WA for about fifty years. Born Sept. 3, 1931 in a small town, Grafton ND, he grew up in Grand Forks ND and attended college there. He is preceded in death by his wife, Hildegard and daughter, Johanna Frontczak. He is succeeded by his son, Hans Peter Arnesen of Salzburg, Austria; his brother, E. Dale Arnesen, and his niece and nephew, Cathy and Daniel Arnesen, all residing in Thurston County. His close neighbors, Christian Science church, musician friends, and associates in the Delphi group also mourn his passing. Educated in ND through his Bachelor’s Degree in Geology, he then joined the Army to serve in WWII at the end. His unusual interest and aptitude for the Russian language and practical engineering lead him from US Army Russian Language School and interrogation to heading a motor pool. He met and married his late wife in Germany. As both had been interpreters for the USA Army, Russian had become their second language. He completed a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at U of CA, Berkeley in 1963. In 1975, he received a Ph. D. in Human Experimental Psychology from U of WA and lectured there frequently for six years. In the sixties, his professional life included six years as a research engineer for Boeing Co., Seattle WA, where he developed new techniques for space-craft dynamics and control. He presented his paper, Flow and Thrust Measurement of Pulsating Rockets, to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1966 and was published in their proceedings of that symposium. His later employment included six years helping to advise and teach for Antioch University and later teaching USA Navy personnel on ships on patrol. Privately, he and his brother began building a bi-plane and then Bill began his experiments creating his own gyrocopters – for the fun of it! He is well-known locally and also as a member of the Christian Science Church, Boston MA for the support of his late wife’s activities in beginning and leading a branch in St. Petersburg, Russia, starting in 1991. Bill lived many winter months there. They had previously spent a summer studying at the University of Leningrad during difficult times in the Soviet Union of 1971, surviving many brief interrogations. Until the last few years of life, he was an active member of the Olympia Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Group where he played bass or cello as needed. His engineering mind figured a way to build a portable bass. A slim wood bar supported only the strings for his use on his travels to Russia and aboard ship. For many years the String Quartet did concerts in his county garden or home. Later, he handcrafted a violin. His self-designed seven-sided home, yard and huge vegetable and flower gardens were his other lasting pleasures. Bill lives on in memory with all who knew him well. Bon Voyage, to new adventures in learning and being.

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