Cloudy, 26° F
(February 14, 2003)
Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 10 a. m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Powell for Arnold John Wamhoff, 88, who died Friday, Feb. 14 at the Powell Nursing Home.
Mr. Wamhoff, a retired Emblem Bench farmer, was born July 19, 1914, in his home at Emblem and lived his entire life there until moving to Powell in recent years.
He married his sweetheart from Lovell, Beata Korell, on Sept. 28, 1941. They recently celebrated 61 years of marriage. For 46 years, they farmed the land that his parents homesteaded.
Mr. Wamhoff loved the land and was always learning new and progressive ways to improve his farming methods. He received the Big Horn Basin Farmer of the Year Award in 1976.
He was one of the first to dig a water well to supplement his irrigation. In the winter months, he flooded the pasture, and the community enjoyed ice skating.
He was a devoted husband and father of four daughters, whom he taught to farm! He had a great sense of humor and loved a good joke.
A childhood accident, in which he broke his hip, plagued him with pain the rest of his life. His family will recall he bore it with dignity and perseverance. He loved to dance, and as a young man, he played the drums at local dances.
He eagerly participated in his community, serving on the school, irrigation and cemetery boards. His church was the center of his life. He was a devoted Christian and served as an officer of the church in many capacities.
Later in life, he enjoyed fishing with his friends and family, especially his father-in-law, Jake Korell. He also never tired of being doted on by his four daughters.
Survivors include his life partner and wife, Beata Wamhoff, of Powell; his four daughters, Karen Schutte and husband Mike of Red Feather Lakes, Colo., Sharleen Rogers of Cokeville, Tenn., Linda Woods and husband Wayne of Carlsbad, Calif., and Laura Gwinn of Powell; 12 grandchildren: Mark, Todd, Brett and Erick Schutte, Darcey (Rogers) Neyman, Jason, Shawn and Ashley Rogers, Lindsay and Kaitlin Woods and Justin and Sierra Gwinn; and 15 great-grandchildren: Nadia, Michael, Morgan, Jacob, Tanner, Colin, Christopher and Josie Marie Schutte, Austin, Christian and Andrew Neyman and Courtney, Shelby, Natalie and Halle Rogers. He is also survived by many loving and caring nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mary Wamhoff; two brothers and six sisters.
Visitation will be held tonight (Tuesday) from 6 to 8 p.m. at Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home and from 9 a.m. until time of services Wednesday at Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Burial will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Emblem Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Powell or The Lutheran Hour. Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
