Arens, Ralph P.

Ralph P. Arens, 84, of Cedar Rapids, passed away on Friday, Aug. 5, 2011, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy, Hiawatha. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011, at St. Paul's United Methodist Church by the Rev. Lloyd Brockmeyer. Private family inurnment will be held at a later date at St. Paul's United Methodist Church Columbarium. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home.

Survivors include his wife, Marian; sons, Gregory (Lori) Arens of Covington, Wash., and Douglas (Kimberly) Arens of Roseville, Calif.; sisters, Doris (Clarence) Woods of Placerville, Calif., and Ruth Holm of Cedar Rapids; and three grandchildren, Kaitlin, Logan and Lauen Arens.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Matilda Arens.

Ralph was born February 26, 1927, in Harvey, Ill., the son of Otto and Matilda (Schneider) Arens. He married Marian Jeanette Bratt on October 18, 1952, in St. Cloud, Minn. Ralph was a United States Navy veteran of World War II. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1951 and worked for Rockwell Collins as an electronic engineer, retiring after 30 years of service. He was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church. He enjoyed cooking, fishing at his cabin on Long Lake in Minnesota and volunteering for the Rockwell Retirees and The Heritage Agency on Aging Services.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial may be directed to the American Cancer Society or to St. Paul's United Methodist Church.

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