Arlo Barton

Arlo passed away on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. He was born June 11, 1933 at his parent’s farm, Walter and Gertrude Barten, near Gray, Iowa. He attended a rural school where he walked miles each day uphill both ways. He enlisted in the Navy at age 17 and served on the aircraft carrier, USS Tripoli during the Korean Conflict. After returning home he worked for the railroad, and married a hometown girl, Jean Hanson. They had two children, Kerry and Kathy.

After moving to Des Moines he was employed by Banker’s Life. In 1966, he began his career with Bell Telephone as an installer, later as a Building Specialist until his retirement in 1992. He continued to enjoy golf, fishing, and downhill skiing. When he got bored he returned to work for several more years as a Building Manager with Pacific Realty Group.

He met his wife Ruth in 1983 and they had 34 great years together, sharing many road trips, one of which was a motorcycle tour of five European countries. Arlo was a biker. Dirt bikes, road bikes, hill climbers and ice racers. He attended AMA races whenever he could. He was a member of the Mid-West Hill-climbers Association and served as an officer several times. The riders often congregated in his garage on Thursday nights to tune up their bikes for hill climbs on Sunday. This became the Thursday night Garage Group, a tradition that lasted for over 40 years.

In addition to Arlo’s Thursday Garage night friends, he is survived by his wife, Ruth Hamilton, son; Kerry (Connie) of Chandler, AZ; daughter, Kathy Buehrle (Jeff) of Mesa, AZ, grandchildren, Josh Barten, Alyssa Richmond (Dave), Shayna Wood (Jacob); and five great-grandchildren, Avery, Maddux, and Adalynn Wood; Jaden and Hailey Richmond; his sister, Verta Mae Von Tersch of Sioux City; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death was his sister, Charlene Knudson.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, 2017, at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Avenue in Des Moines, with visitation beginning at 11:00 a.m. Interment with military honors will take place at Iowa Veterans Cemetery at 2:00 p.m.

Memorials may be designated to Boline-Manfredi VFW Post 9662.

He will be dearly missed by all the friends at all his hang-outs…where everyone knows his name… Hey, Arlo’s here!

Condolences may be expressed online at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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