Arne Rostad

Arne Rostad

1924 - 2013 NORFOLK, CONN. Arne Rostad, 88, passed away on May 4, 2013, from respiratory complications after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Mr. Rostad was residing at a nursing home in Bennington, Vt.

He was born in Vardal, Norway, on Dec. 25, 1924, the third of seven sons of Arne and Anborg Rostad. After completing high school in Hamar and two years of college studies in Oslo, Rostad finished his undergraduate degree in Economics at Duke University in 1948.

Mr. Rostad married Joan Ware Hickey in New York in 1951. The coupled resided in Norfolk and raised six children.

Mr. Rostad began his career as the general manager at F.J. Hickey & Sons Furriers in Winsted, Conn. Later, he became president of the Keratene Company in Winsted, where he negotiated the sale of the company to the Strange Corporation.

While working in Winsted, Mr. Rostad was very involved in the community, serving at various times as president of the Winsted Memorial Hospital, Winsted Area Community Chest, the Winsted Rotary Club, and as director for the Connecticut Bank & Trust Company and the Western Connecticut Industrial Council.

In the early 1980's, Mr. Rostad moved to Kittery, Maine, where he became involved in business ventures in home building and real estate sales, business brokerage and commercial glass. He later retired to Vermont.

Mr. Rostad's lifelong passion was skiing. He introduced his children to skiing soon after they learned to walk. (A Sunday Hartford Courant story in 1963 records Rostad teaching Joan and his children skiing techniques at the Norfolk Country Club.) The same year Mr. Rostad built a weekend ski home near Stratton Mountain, Vt. In his late 40s, Rostad took up ski racing and became a national alpine champion on the veteran circuit. Following his passion, he also served as the second chairman of the Board of Trustees for the newly formed Stratton Mountain School.

Arne Rostad is survived by two brothers, Jon Rostad and Knut Rostad; six children, Arne Rostad, Frank Rostad, Knut A. Rostad, Turi Rostad, Tina Buckley, and Thea Rostad, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

FUNERAL NOTICE: The family will be holding a private memorial. In lieu of flowers, any donations may be sent to Alzheimer's Association CT Chapter, 2075 Silas Deane Hwy, Suite 100, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of the MAHAR FUNERAL HOME and CREMATION SERVICE, 385 Bonnet St., Manchester, VT 05255.