Arlen R Oberlander

Arlen R. Oberlander, 77, of Bismarck, ND, passed away on December 27, 2014 surrounded by his family after a long, courageous battle with cancer. Services will be held at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, at 11:00 a.m, Friday, Jan. 2, 2015. Visitation will be held on hour prior to the service. A graveside service will be held at a later date at Sunny Slope Cemetery in Mott, N.D. Arlen was born on October 29, 1937, on the family farm southwest of Mott, ND. The son of Adam and Clara Schmitt Oberlander, he graduated from Mott Lincoln High School and soon after he was united in marriage to Jackie Herner on November 15, 1955. From this union they had five children. Early in their marriage he worked the family farm for a short time until Arlen attended barber school in Fargo, ND. For over 20 years he greatly enjoyed his career as a barber where he lived and worked on Mainstreet in Mott, ND, owning and operating Arlen's Barber Shop. Arlen served two years as president of the ND Barber Association. He and Jackie loved living in their hometown, raising their family and Arlen was involved in many community activities. He was especially proud of his faith and service to Trinity Lutheran Church, sitting on church counsel, teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir and serving as a lay pastor leading the congregational services for a period of time while the church waited for a minister to be called to serve. The relationships he made over these years generated an insurance business that he ran out of the barber shop until he and Jackie later moved to Dickinson where his insurance business thrived for 24 years. In 1995 he was honored to receive Agent of the Year while working for Nodak Mutual Insurance. He finished his professional career as an agent working out of American Bank Center in Dickinson. While residing in Dickinson, Arlen and Jackie enjoyed square dancing, weekly games of pinochle, and many rounds of golf. Besides his passion for golf, Arlen was most proud of obtaining his private pilot's license and working on his collection of remote control model airplanes some of which he built himself. Following retirement he valued the time spent driving the Elder Care Transit bus for the Dickinson community. In 2010 Arlen and Jackie moved to Mandan and then finally to Bismarck. During this time he worked for his son Kevin delivering prescriptions claiming it was the best job he ever had. Arlen always had a presence about him and a way of commanding a room. He was an excellent story teller and had an endless supply of jokes to share that brought so many laughs to all of us. It seemed like wherever Arlen went there was someone he knew or recognized. He loved to visit with people and it was just his nature to start up a conversation and talk about the events of the day. He led his family with the truest examples of strength and love all the way to the end, and through these traits touched the lives of so many others. Arlen will be greatly missed by his wife of 58 years, Jackie Herner Oberlander, Bismarck, ND; his sons, Kevin Hildy, Bismarck, ND, Kyle Donna, Imperial, MO, and Kerry Rebecca, Bismarck, ND; and daughter, Jocelyn Chuck Vanlishout, Mott, ND; his grandchildren, Nicholas, Quinn and Tyne Oberlander, Tyler, Corey and Kaylen Oberlander, Michael, Hannah and Brady Oberlander, Heather Dan Oswald, and Lindsey Brandon Wagner and his two great- grandchildren, Claire and Cullen; three sisters, Doris Ross, Sheryl Heinrich both of Arizona, and Marlene Zent, Montana; and one brother, Rodney, California. He was preceded in death by his infant son, Scott; and his parents Adam and Clara Oberlander. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials be sent to Bismarck Cancer Center or Good Samaritan Society in Mott.

Arlen R Oberlander

October 29, 1937 - December 27, 2014