Arnold H. Barthel

Arnold H. Barthel, 59 year old resident of rural Holdingford, MN passed away Saturday, September 5, 2015 surrounded by family. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, September 10, 2015 at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Upsala, MN with Rev. CJ Boettcher officiating. A visitation will be held from 10-11 A.M. on Thursday at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Upsala, MN.
Arnold (Arnie) Barthel was born in Hudson, Wisconsin on May 17, 1956 to Ray and Hilda (Wielenberg) Barthel. He was the oldest of 5 children and grew up on the family’s dairy farm; that shaped his hard working lifestyle. He graduated from Upsala High School in 1974. After graduation, Arnie continued to farm and had various outside employments until 1989, when he became self-employed as a flooring installer. On December 2, 1996, Arnie married Gail Ripplinger at the Chapel of Love in Bloomington, Minnesota. Gail was Arnie’s one and only true love, as was Arnie to Gail. The love the two of them showed is an example of what marriage is suppose to be: through sickness and in health, until death do us part.
Arnie was always busy with something, whether he was out in the fields, finishing up a flooring job, or fixing the tractor. When he did take the time to relax, he enjoyed traveling with Gail. Arnie traveled to 48 of the 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii. He also loved history, riding his Harley, and telling stores and jokes to family and friends. Arnie was young at heart and a prankster until the end.
Arnie was the best example of how life should be. He worked hard, but he played hard too. He took time to enjoy life. His unwavering love for his family will continue even though he is no longer on this earth.
Left to cherish his memories are the love of his life, wife Gail of Holdingford, MN; daughters, Shannon (Erik) Koenig of Richmond, MN, Jessica Barthel of Woodbury, MN, and Kristin (Parker) Robinson of Sartell, MN; sons, Lonnie (Amanda) Thompson of Holdingford, MN, Allen Thompson of Sartell, MN, Ricky (Beth) Olmscheid of Princeton, MN, and Charlie (Breanna) Olmscheid of Sauk Rapids, MN; grandchildren, Talayia, Ta-Lexxus, Kane, Trevor, Kolton, Landon, Abby, Maggie, Andrew, Payton, Madilynn, and Joel; great grandchildren, Taylor and Rhys; parents, Ray and Hilda Barthel of Holdingford, MN; siblings, Darlene Kaeter (Mark) of San Diego, CA , Shari (Bill) Mitchell of Elk River, MN, Brian Barthel (Shelley) of Brooklyn Park, MN, and Linda (Roger) Host of Watkins, MN; mother-in-law, Lucille Ripplinger; and many brothers and sisters-in-law, and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Henry & Alvina Wielenberg and Anthony & Martha Barthel ; father-in-law, Paul Ripplinger; and grandson, Nicholas Koenig.