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Arthur Raymond Imming, 94, of Fonda died Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake.
Funeral Mass will take place Monday, May 5, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Fonda. Burial will be in the church cemetery with full Military Rites. Visitation will take place Sunday, May 4, from 4-6 p.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Fonda. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Beulah Imming BVRMC Nursing Scholarship. Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements.
Art was born Oct. 2, 1930, to Herman and Mary (Henkenius) Imming in Arcadia. He was baptized as an infant at St. John’s Catholic Church in Arcadia. Art attended St. Peter and Paul’s in Carroll through the eighth grade. Due to the Great Depression, he became a “farm hand” to help provide for the family after eighth grade graduation.
Art enlisted in the United States Army during the Korean War, serving from February 1952 until his discharge in April 1954. As a corporal stationed in Germany, he was an engineer and drove a deuce and a half truck carrying cargo and ammunition to his units around Munich, Germany. Art was chosen to go on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., in May 2013.
Art was a lifetime member of Varina American Legion, W.D. Steiner Post #588. He served in various leadership positions both with the Varina post as well as the State of Iowa American Legion. He was the Commander for the Varina American Legion for several years. And he also served as the 8th District Commander for the State of Iowa. Throughout the years, Art enjoyed trips to Legion Conventions.
On Feb. 15, 1958, Art was united in marriage to Beulah Miller at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church by Father John Howley. They were blessed with four children: Bev, Doug, Ray and Matt.
Art served as a lector, usher and eucharistic minister at St. Columbkille’s parish in Varina before it’s closing. He was also the St. Columbkille parish representative and school board member for Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic School. Most recently, Art was a faithful member of St. Sebastian Parish Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Fonda.
Art was a lifelong farmer and raised cattle and hogs. He looked forward to family vacations to Branson and Florida. Art was a familiar face in the stands at all his children and grandchildren’s extracurricular events. He was also a regular attendee of the Southwest Minnesota State men’s basketball games the four years that his son, Doug, played. He also closely followed Storm Lake St. Mary’s, Newell-Fonda, Olathe Northwest, Olathe South and UNI where his children and grandchildren played. Art was a big baseball fan with his favorite team being the Cleveland Indians.
Left to cherish Art’s memory include his children: Bev (Rick) Vanderslice of Overland Park, Kan.; Doug (Coleen) Imming of Storm Lake; Ray (Patty) Imming of Fonda; Matt (Hollie) Imming of Pleasant Hill; grandchildren: Jake, Zach and Matthew (Jinda Guidinger) Vanderslice; Marisha (Pat) Gonzalez and Janie (James) Cornelius; Eden (Jordan) VanDerSloot and Kate (Juan) Espinoza; Maddie (Marten de Boer) Dugan, Paige (Ian) Herrick; Carter and Keanan Imming; great-grandchildren: Leo and Sadie Gonzalez; Logan, Anna and Zoey Cornelius; Aiden and Emmett VanDerSloot; baby Espinoza due in October and baby Herrick due in August.
Art was the last of his generation to pass away. Welcoming him into heaven include his beloved wife, Beulah Imming (2023); parents, Herman and Mary Imming; brothers: infant twin brothers, Elmer (Joan) Imming, Merle (Delores) Imming, Herb (Marilyn) Imming, Marv (Sue) Imming and Mel (Eileen) Imming; sisters: Agatha Imming, Dolores (Ted) Snyder, Estella (Wilfred) Schulte and Elaine (Jerry) Dentlinger; nieces and nephews: Carol and Kim Imming; Kay Boyce; Lori Donnelly; Robert Snyder; Gene Schulte; David, Randy, Mike and Steve Imming; Gregg Oder; parents-in-law, Kate and Charlie Miller; sister-in-law Pat Oder; extended family and friends.
