Arlee Keith Waring

Arlee Keith Waring, 82, passed away surrounded by his family on April 1, 2023, at Kavanagh House in Des Moines, after a quick, hard-fought battle with ALS.

Arlee was born on March 9, 1941, to Gerald and Evelyn Waring in Walnut, Nebraska. He graduated from Orchard High School in 1958. After one year of college, he enlisted and served in the United States Army from 1959 to 1962. After an honorable discharge, Arlee attended the University of Northern Colorado, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business in 1967. Arlee’s first job out of college was with State Farm Insurance. He became an agent after many different positions within State Farm, and retired in 2003 after 40 years at State Farm.

He met the love of his life, LaDonna Ziegler, when they were both employed at State Farm in Greeley, CO. They were united in marriage on October 17, 1964. They lived for several years in Colorado before moving to Humboldt, Iowa, where they built a happy life and raised their three daughters. Arlee was very involved and respected in the community. Arlee and LaDonna moved to West Des Moines in 2009 to be closer to their seven grandchildren. In 2006, they found their winter home at Quail Run in Arizona City, Arizona. They spent the last 18 seasons with their ‘framily’ there, the loving friends who became their extended family.

Arlee was an avid golfer and spent many, many days out of the year on the course. He played in several golf leagues throughout the years and you knew where he was most Tuesdays and Thursdays. He was proud of his hole-in-one and that he was still able to shoot his age this winter in Arizona. When he wasn’t playing golf, he was often found in Papa’s Chair watching golf on TV. He had a love for watching all sports, especially the Chicago Cubs and the Nebraska Cornhuskers (although he was frustrated with them most of the time). Arlee was also a talented guitar player and singer who loved his patio jam sessions at Quail Run. He was a beloved Papa who went to as many grandkids’ activities as he could.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 58 years, LaDonna Waring; his daughters, Joni (Scott) Molde, Julie Weisshaar, and Jill (Tony) DeLancey; seven grandchildren, Zach and Nate Molde, Alexandra, Lauren and Jacob Weisshaar, and Cora and Sullivan DeLancey; his brother, Willis (Sally) Waring; and countless friends across the US and Canada. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1627 Grand Avenue in West Des Moines, with a visitation taking place one hour prior. Burial will follow at 12:30 p.m., with full military honors, at Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa. Following the service at the cemetery, a luncheon will be served at Sacred Heart. If guests are not able to attend the service in person, the family invites friends to join them virtually by clicking the livestream link at the end of obituary below and accessible on the day of the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the family in loving memory of Arlee and online condolences expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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