Richard "Dick" Arends

ARENDS-Richard "Dick", 52, died at The Monarch, Lincoln on Saturday (11/11/06) after battling Merkel cell neuroendocrine cancer for five months. Dick became an inspiration to friends and family who read his weekly e-mail updates about the progress of his cancer treatments and views about life that were often humorous. Born, Omaha (1/15/54) to Raymond and Merlyn (Wittier) Arends of Talmage. Christened and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Talmage, he spent his young years participating in church and 4-H activities. Dick graduated from Nemaha Valley High School in Cook. During summers, Dick worked with harvesting crews following the wheat from Oklahoma to south
Dakoka. In 1977, Dick graduated from
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a B.S. in mechanized agriculture. He was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity where he met his future wife, Deb, at a fraternity function in 1972. Deb (Urbanek) and Dick were married in 1974 in Ulysses at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Their beloved daughter, Kathleen Danielle, was born in Broken Bow in 1985. While in Broken Bow Dick was the district manager for Ralston Purina. He also enjoyed playing softball, hosting and participating in the annual Nebraska
one-box pheasant hunt and acting in the community playhouse. The Arends family moved to Lincoln in 1988 where Dick worked for Master Mix feeds and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. At the time of his death, he was a field representative for the Midwest Messenger, a division of Lee Enterprises, Tekamah. He loved interacting with clients who soon became friends.
Dick volunteered with the couples Bible study group at Clinic With a Heart and served on the AGR, Kappa Chapter
Alumni Board as the property manager for 12 years. He was a member of the Cathedral of the Risen Christ. Dick was a loyal Husker fan, always seated on the 40-yard line. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, sharing the rewards of his hunting with friends and neighbors. He shot trap with his brother and friends. Dick took pride in being able to fix anything. On a remote Canadian fishing trip he once repaired a boat motor with a bumper sticker, bubble gum and duct tape. Dick will be greatly missed by family, friends, co-workers and neighbors.
Survivors: wife, Deb; daughter, Kathleen "Kat"; mother, Merlyn Arends; brother, sister-in-law, Dave and Connie Arends, Lincoln; nieces, Kelsey and Darcy Arends, Lincoln; aunt, Arlene Fleischer, Lincoln; uncle, Laverne Wittler, Syracuse; sisters-in-law, spouse, Marcia Bohuslavsky, Brainard, Judy and Lon Dyer, Lincoln; brothers-in-law and spouses, Jerome and Terri Urbanek, Ulysses, Greg and Brenda Urbanek, Shelton; nieces; nephews; cousins; godson, Justin Sheets; goddaughter, Jenny Bohuslavsky; family cat, Miss Marbles. Preceded in death by: father, Raymond Arends; brother, Daniel; stillborn brother; grand-parents, Richard and Christine Arends and Herman and Freda Wittier.
Memorial Mass: 9 a.m. Saturday, Cathedral of the Risen Christ, 35th and Sheridan Boulevard. Services followed by a Celebration of life reception and brunch for family and friends at Hillcrest Country Club, 89010 St., 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. It was Dick's wish to donate his body for cancer research to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Memorials: Alpha Gamma Rho Kappa Foundation c/o Will Witder, 1724 48th Road, Talmage, 68418; The Monarch, Eastmont Towers Foundation, 6315 O St.; Pheasants Forever.