Gerald William Arp

DAVENPORT - Gerald William “Butch” Arp, 76, passed away on Monday, July 17, 2017, at Clarissa Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf. Visitation will be Wednesday, July 19 from 4-7 and Memorial service will be Thursday, July 20 at 10 a.m. at Runge Mortuary. Memorials may be made to Camp Courageous and the Pine Creek Grist Mill, Wildcat Den State Park, Muscatine. Online condolences can be expressed at www.rungemortuary.com.

Butch was born on January 17, 1941, in Davenport, Iowa, the son of William A. and Valeria E. (Kelling) Arp. He graduated from Durant High School in 1959. He served as a sergeant in the Army Reserves Guard from 1963 – 1969. Before and after his army service, he farmed in rural Scott and Muscatine counties. He also held numerous other jobs to support his farming habit. He married Ginger L. Fawcett on October 7, 1961 in Davenport. He became an auctioneer in 1983 and never turned down a benefit auction. For many years he auctioned chainsaw carvings at the Mississippi Valley Fair, always making sure to give Bob Fox a hard time. In addition, he also announced horse shows, go-cart races and demolition derbies.

He was a past master of Wilton and later member of Brubaker Masonic Lodge, Walcott American Legion, Morning Optimists, and Toastmasters. Butch was always ready with a joke or a story and could entertain people easily. He would often be asked to give speeches on various subjects, which he enjoyed. He was interested in history and was always reading something, be it fiction or non-fiction. Creating his Yesteryear Village and tending his garden were what he enjoyed after leaving the farm and moving to town. The village was created from old barn boards and today there are around 30 buildings, complete with a fire station, church and Arp Post Office. Cars slow down frequently to see the village, with some folks stopping by to see if there are any new buildings. Sometimes families bring their kids, who like to play with the animals and rearrange them near the barn. Two bi-planes hover above the town, which was a Fran Riley Feature on KWQC last year. The garden courtyard was where he loved to sit any time of the day to look at the plants and watch the birds and squirrels who would always raid the feeder.

When Butch was younger, he and some of his buddies were practical jokers. One year, the Arp family returned home from a vacation late at night to find farm equipment, lawn chairs and the swingset all piled in front of the door to the house. Of course, when he found out whoever pulled that little stunt, that guy probably got just as good as he gave, perhaps by finding a piece of machinery on the roof of the shed or finding one taken apart and put back together in the basement of the house. Butch didn’t do things by halves. Butch and Ginger also enjoyed taking drives in their 1992 Chevy Cavalier convertible (the Rodney Dangerfield of cars because it got no respect) complete with super-sized Wiley Coyote and Tasmanian Devil in the back seat. All in all, Butch and Ginger enjoyed their life together. They went together like peas and carrots. Survivors include his wife of 55 1/2 years, Ginger, daughters Jennifer (Ed) Broders, Davenport, and Jill (Dale) Ellsworth, Walcott, and his step sister-in-law, Ann Dudgeon. Preceded by parents and step-brother, Delmar Dudgeon.

After cremation rites, Butch will be interred in Durant Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will be Ed Broders, Dale Ellsworth, Randy Dudgeon, Mike Meinert, Leo Rathjen, Keith Suhr, and Dennis Wulf.