A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 11:00am at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Ames, Iowa. There will be a one-hour visitation held at the church prior to the service on Thursday. Immediately following the service, a luncheon will be held at the church. Burial will be at Ames Municipal Cemetery in Ames, Iowa following the luncheon.
Arnie was born on July 31, 1927, to Sam and Dena (Olson) Chantland in Tama, Iowa. He graduated from South Tama High School in 1945. Immediately after receiving his diploma, Arnie joined the Army Reserves, where he started earning college credits before becoming fully enlisted. He served in the Army in Germany as part of the occupation forces after WWII and was discharged in 1949.
After serving in the army, he brought a brand new, bright red Ford convertible. He enrolled in Iowa State University, where he graduated in 1952 with a BS in Civil Engineering. He married Elizabeth "Betty" Polka on September 7, 1952, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.
The couple moved to Kansas City, where Arnie worked for an engineering consulting firm for 3 years. They later moved to Nevada, Iowa, and Arnie worked as the City Engineer for 3 years. After obtaining the job of City Engineer (later Director of Public Works) for the City of Ames, Arnie and Betty moved to Ames, where they resided until he retired. During his time as Director, he developed the Ames Resource Recovery Center, later named the Arnold O. Chantland Resource Recovery Center. It is claimed to be "the first municipally owned waste-to-energy facility in the nation" He earned multiple awards and recognitions for the development of the center. After retirement, the couple moved to Toledo, Iowa. Arnie called himself a "sometimes farmer" for 30 years while enjoying life in Toledo. In 2016, they returned back to Ames.
Arnie enjoyed outdoor adventures. He loved skiing, boating, sailing, fishing, hunting, or any other activity that would bring him outside. Arnie and Betty were founding members of the Northminster Presbyterian Church in Ames.
Arnold is survived by his children, Nancy Lenz of Shakopee, MN, Carol (David) Nicklaus of Webster Groves, MO, and Susan (Jack) Petersen of Clive, IA; nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Betty (Polka) Chantland; his parents; sister, Gladys Strellner, brother, Gilbert Chantland, and sister Francis Ford; and son-in-law, Gary Lenz.
In lieu of flowers, donations and memorials may be directed to Ames Historical Museum, PO Box 821, Ames, Iowa, or Northminster Presbyterian Church in memory of Arnie.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be left for the Chantland family at www.stevensmemorialchapel.com
