Arnold Walter Wesemann, the son of Walter Herman and Viola Mae (Westerhold) Wesemann, was born August 11, 1932 on his grandparent’s farm in Wisner, NE. He died June 11, 2022, at his home in Bellevue, NE, at the age of 89 years.
Arnold attended school and church in Wisner. He worked hard on the farm and as many of us know, he woke up early, to milk cows before going to school. He decided farming wasn’t for him and joined the Navy in April 1951. He was assigned to Damage Control and stationed in Yokosuka Japan for a 2-year tour of duty. While in Japan he met Kimiko. He finished his tour in Japan but they stayed in touch. They wrote letters – hers in Japanese and his in English, and had to find translators to understand what was written. Arnold was honorably discharged but returned to Japan to marry Kimiko.
They moved to Nebraska and stayed with his grandparents, where his sister Marian and brother Ed helped her learn to speak better English. They eventually moved to Wakefield NE and had 2 daughters – Kathy and Tami. Shortly after Tami was born, they all moved to Bellevue. Kimiko went to work after making a trip to Japan, so they all could go and see her home country. Arnold shared his love of traveling with his family, taking them camping almost every weekend in summer. He bought a boat so they could fish and waterski. He was generous with his time and his family often wonder how they could go camping and back to work as often as they did.
In 1989 they retired and were able to pack up their camper and travel the country. They traveled to New Orleans to see Arnold’s brother Bob, and all the way to Alaska to visit friends. They had 5 great years of traveling and making new friends. Kimiko became ill and passed away on a trip to Oregon in 1994.
The next few years Arnold spent with Tami and Kathy, then traveling with his brother Bob and a friend Carl. He made it back for the birth of his first grandson, Tyler Perez but wasn’t too keen on holding a newborn baby. During a trip back up to Alaska while in Glacier National Park, he met a lady named Ethel. They exchanged letters for a year before deciding to travel together. He brought Ethel to meet Tami and offered her help in caring for his 2nd newborn grandson, Riley Perez. His first granddaughter, Miranda Dresen, was born in 2000 and his 3rd grandson, Lawrence Dresen, was born 3 years later in 2003. Arnold and Ethel went to lots of soccer and basketball games and took the grandkids fishing. They spent 11 years traveling before moving back to Arnold’s house in 2009. Ethel treated Arnold’s family like her own. Ethel stayed there until 2015 and moved to a care facility in Montana, to be closer to family when her health started failing.
Arnold stayed in his house for a few years with the help of his caregiver, Marylou, and then moved into Marylou’s home in 2018. Marylou took great care of him for 4 years, and they had lots of fun. Marylou let him live his last years with dignity and purpose.
One thing that will be remembered about Arnold was his sense of humor, sometimes appropriate, sometimes not. He often had a twinkle in his eye and a laugh. He loved to “debate” politics which often caused friction between him and people that loved him most. But he was a gentle giant that always rooted for the underdog.
Arnold is preceded in death by his wife Kimiko; his parents; and his brothers Robert and Henry.
He is survived by his children Kathleen Wesemann (Ron) of Omaha, NE, and Tami Lynn Bunch (John) of Fruita, CO; his grandchildren: Tyler, Riley, Miranda, Lawrence; his sister Marian Hoffman (Rex) of Henderson, IA; his brother Edward Wesemann (Shannah); and his friend Marylou of Bellevue, NE. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 18, 2022, at 10:00 AM, at the Bellevue Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Bellevue, NE. Visitation with the family will be at the church on Friday, June 17, 2022, from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM. Interment with military honors will be at the Bellevue Cemetery. Rieken Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland is in charge of arrangements.
