Arnold August Lange

On November 8, 2022, Arnold August Lange, formerly of New Haven, Indiana and since 1977 a resident in the Fort Myers, Florida area, went home to be with his Savior. Arnold was born in Michigan but raised in Hamler, Ohio. He was baptized and confirmed at Hope Lutheran Church, Hamler, Ohio.

Arnold attended a small one-room country school through 8th grade. Along with his dad and brothers Eugene, Victor and Paul, he worked on the family farm until he got his first job driving a semi-truck for the Meyer Milling Company in Deshler, Ohio. Then in 1942, Arnold decided to join some of his friends who had found work in Fort Wayne, Indiana. During his time in Fort Wayne, his jobs included a filling station, Deister Machine Company, Wayne Pump Company, Harvester, and Zollner Corporation.

In March 1943, he was drafted into the Army and served in the China-Burma-India theater for 30 months with the 508th Battalion. In February 1946, Arnold received an honorable discharge as a Technician Fifth Grade and returned to his job in Fort Wayne. On October 27, 1946, Arnold married Wilma Seeman, his neighbor girl back on the farm. They bought a home on eight acres in New Haven, Indiana where they raised their four children, Judy, Rick, Vern and Kathy. A poultry house was added to raise chickens and then a greenhouse to start plants for their field – tomatoes and corn – which they sold.

Their children kept them busy with school activities and music lessons. A family band was formed called the Sunshiners. Arnold and Wilma were also very active in their home church, Emanuel Lutheran Church, New Haven where he, as chairman of the deacons, was instrumental in getting 70+ teenagers involved in ushering and other church-related activities.

In 1977, when Arnold retired from Zollner Pistons in Fort Wayne, they moved to the Fort Myers, Florida area, living and working in a variety of places, including working at Mighty Might Marine in Lehigh and managing rental apartments and mobile home parks in the Fort Myers area. As part of the Saint Michael Lutheran Church family, Arnold served in the maintenance area of the church and school while Wilma served as librarian.

The four children are now grown and have blessed them with eight grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren. Kathy and husband Patrick and Rick both moved to the Fort Myers area and were very involved in Arnold’s life since his wife passed away in 2015. Vern and wife Barbara are retired, living on a lake in Indiana and enjoying bringing their family to Florida for vacations. Judy and husband Ken also are retired and live on a lake in Indiana. Judy assists their daughter Kati Miser, principal at Saint Michael Lutheran School, with a variety of projects including the recent national accreditation of the school. Ken was Arnold’s fishing “buddy” when they would come down during the winter.

Arnold was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Wilma, and brothers Eugene, Victor and Paul. A Celebration of Life service is taking place at Saint Michael Lutheran Church, 3595 Broadway, Fort Myers, on Sunday, November 13 at 2:00pm with refreshments following in the school cafeteria. Memorial gifts can be directed to Saint Michael Lutheran Church or School whose website is www.smlcs.org.