1916
Laura
2011
Laura Maxene Clausnitzer Arndt
July 1, 1916 — November 23, 2011
Laura Maxene Clausnitzer Arndt died November 23, 2011 in Sonora, California. She was 95 and had been afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease.
Born in Red Bluff, California, in 1916 to Richard Maxwell and Laura Mabel Melvin Clausnitzer, Mrs. Arndt was raised in nearby Gerber, and graduated from Red Bluff High School in 1934. In February 1936, she was awarded a diploma from San Francisco's Fashion Art School's Academy of Fine and Applied Arts in Stylist Training, Professional Costume and Millinery Design. Five months later, she was awarded a diploma in Costume Design from the Academy of Fashion Design, also in San Francisco.
In 1934, Mrs. Arndt received Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior during an evangelistic tent campaign conducted by Nels Thompson in Red Bluff, during which time she also met her husband-to-be, John Arndt, whom she married in 1936 in Sacramento. Two years later, they moved to Portland where John had grown up. Shortly after arriving in Portland, they began worshipping at Grace & Truth Gospel Hall, later named Grace Bible Fellowship, where Mrs. Arndt remained for over 60 years.
After Mr. Arndt died in 1959, Mrs. Arndt was employed in Portland State University's Library Acquisitions Department for 18 years until she retired in 1980. In 2001, after Dementia started to manifest itself, she moved to Fresno to be near her son and his wife. In 2007, she moved to a long-term care facility in Sonora.
Mr. and Mrs. Arndt were known for their hospitality, especially to visiting ministers and missionaries. After her husband's death, Mrs. Arndt continued to willingly serve wherever needed, including spending a week or two for many summers as part of the kitchen crew at Eagle Fern Youth Camp, and to support missionary endeavors, both home and abroad. She also was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, as well as "Aunt Maxene" to many.
Mrs. Arndt is survived by her son and his wife, J. Richard and Dorothy Arndt, of Sonora; daughter, Catherine Congdon, of Killingworth, Connecticut; daughter-in-law, Janette Arndt, of Fresno; grandchildren, Scott Arndt, of Fresno, Heidi (Arndt) and Lorne Vandemark, of Modesto, Kim Congdon, of Pasadena, Maryland, John and Amy Congdon, of Milford, Connecticut, and Anthony and Kerry Congdon, of Enfield, Connecticut; and great grandchildren, Tyler and Kenna Vandemark, of Modesto, Jackson and Tucker Congdon, of Enfield, and Asher and Seth Congdon, of Milford.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm, Sunday, February 12, at Grace Bible Fellowship, 12420 NE Siskiyou Street, Portland. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent to Eagle Fern Camp, 37700 SE Camp Road, Estacada OR 97023, or to UCSF-Fresno Alzheimer & Memory Center, 3313 N. Hilliard Lane, Fresno CA 93726.
Born in Red Bluff, California, in 1916 to Richard Maxwell and Laura Mabel Melvin Clausnitzer, Mrs. Arndt was raised in nearby Gerber, and graduated from Red Bluff High School in 1934. In February 1936, she was awarded a diploma from San Francisco's Fashion Art School's Academy of Fine and Applied Arts in Stylist Training, Professional Costume and Millinery Design. Five months later, she was awarded a diploma in Costume Design from the Academy of Fashion Design, also in San Francisco.
In 1934, Mrs. Arndt received Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior during an evangelistic tent campaign conducted by Nels Thompson in Red Bluff, during which time she also met her husband-to-be, John Arndt, whom she married in 1936 in Sacramento. Two years later, they moved to Portland where John had grown up. Shortly after arriving in Portland, they began worshipping at Grace & Truth Gospel Hall, later named Grace Bible Fellowship, where Mrs. Arndt remained for over 60 years.
After Mr. Arndt died in 1959, Mrs. Arndt was employed in Portland State University's Library Acquisitions Department for 18 years until she retired in 1980. In 2001, after Dementia started to manifest itself, she moved to Fresno to be near her son and his wife. In 2007, she moved to a long-term care facility in Sonora.
Mr. and Mrs. Arndt were known for their hospitality, especially to visiting ministers and missionaries. After her husband's death, Mrs. Arndt continued to willingly serve wherever needed, including spending a week or two for many summers as part of the kitchen crew at Eagle Fern Youth Camp, and to support missionary endeavors, both home and abroad. She also was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, as well as "Aunt Maxene" to many.
Mrs. Arndt is survived by her son and his wife, J. Richard and Dorothy Arndt, of Sonora; daughter, Catherine Congdon, of Killingworth, Connecticut; daughter-in-law, Janette Arndt, of Fresno; grandchildren, Scott Arndt, of Fresno, Heidi (Arndt) and Lorne Vandemark, of Modesto, Kim Congdon, of Pasadena, Maryland, John and Amy Congdon, of Milford, Connecticut, and Anthony and Kerry Congdon, of Enfield, Connecticut; and great grandchildren, Tyler and Kenna Vandemark, of Modesto, Jackson and Tucker Congdon, of Enfield, and Asher and Seth Congdon, of Milford.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm, Sunday, February 12, at Grace Bible Fellowship, 12420 NE Siskiyou Street, Portland. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent to Eagle Fern Camp, 37700 SE Camp Road, Estacada OR 97023, or to UCSF-Fresno Alzheimer & Memory Center, 3313 N. Hilliard Lane, Fresno CA 93726.
Memorial Service
Grace Bible Fellowship
12420 NE Siskiyou Street
Portland
,
OR
US
97230
Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2:00 PM
Cemetery
Rose City Cemetery
5625 N.E. Fremont St.
Portland
,
OR
US
97213-1754
Friday, December 2, 2011,
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Laura Maxene Clausnitzer Arndt, please visit our flower store.