Senator Arne F. Waldstein View All Years

ARNE F. WALDSTEIN

Arne F. Waldstein was born on a farm in Brooke Township, Buena Vista County, Iowa, on January 17, 1925, to Arthur and Anna Waldstein. He passed away on February 8, 2014, at the age of 89. He is survived his wife Marianne; his sons, Fredric and his wife Edith, Arne and his wife Marie, and Mark; daughter Elizabeth Waldstein-Hart and her husband Doug; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Waldstein graduated from Lincoln Lee High School in 1943. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served from 1943-1945. Upon his return home, he enrolled at Buena Vista College and later transferred to Iowa State College in Ames. He graduated in 1949 with a B.S. degree in Farm Operations.

In 1951 Arne married Marianne Aust at the United Methodist Church in Storm Lake. They moved to Albany, Georgia, where he was employed as a farm manager. In 1953 they returned to Buena Vista County where he farmed and worked for Stalcup Agricultural Services. He later became president and CEO of the company. He served as an agricultural consultant for the U.S. government in Turkey and Czechoslovakia, helping to improve farming conditions in those countries. In 1978 he was elected to the Iowa Senate serving two terms. After his Senate service, he returned to Buena Vista County and continued working with his business. In his later years, he and his wife moved to Waverly, Iowa.

Waldstein was a strong proponent of community and civic responsibility. He served on many boards and commissions at the local, state, and national levels. He was a member of the Farm Bureau, Izaak Walton League, American Legion, Kiwanis, Community Builders, Wartburg College Roundtable, St Mark’s Lutheran Church in Storm Lake, and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Waverly. He was an author, writing

many articles for local and statewide publications. His personal memoir about growing up in Iowa, “Water Runs Downhill,” received wide acclaim.

Arne Waldstein was a Buena Vista County Republican. He served in the Iowa Senate from 1979–1986, during the 68th, 69th, 70th, and 71st General Assemblies.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE EIGHTY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA: That in the passing of the Honorable Arne Waldstein, the State has lost an honored citizen and faithful and useful public servant, and that the Senate by this resolution expresses its appreciation of his service to the State and tenders its sympathy and kindest regards to the members of his family.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the Senate and that the Secretary of the Senate be instructed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

Tim Kraayenbrink

Herman C. Quirmbach

Mark Segebart

Committee