Arthur Alber

On March 14th 1920 Arthur Dale Alber was born the sixth child of John Wilson and Margaret Emily (Bell) Alber in Madrid, Iowa. After the family moved to Des Moines, Art attended Howe Elementary and Lincoln High School, graduating in 1940. While working on the family farm, Art also began working at Bookey Packing Company. During this time he met the love of his life. Helen Avis Robinson was sitting on the curb when Art and his friend drove by. Art knew by the end of their first date that he would marry her. On June 29th, 1941 he was given that honor. That same year they joined Fort Des Moines United Methodist Church. Throughout the years Art was involved in every aspect of church life.

Their marriage was blessed the following year when their son Stephen Dale was born. Three years later their family grew with the birth of their daughter Deborah Sue. Son, William Ross was born five years later, he passed at birth. God took Helen’s hand and led her home in 1978.

In 1942 he joined the Masonic Home Lodge. In 1947, Art and several members petitioned to form a new Lodge that is now known as Southgate Masonic Lodge. He helped to build the Lodge at its current location and was heavily involved in the Masonic Brotherhood. After working through the chairs, in 1950 he was installed as Worshipful Master of Southgate Lodge by his father John Alber.

During his time with the Southgate Masonic Lodge he joined the Scottish Rite and in 1965 he became a Shriner and joined the Tux Brigade, serving as President. Art pulled the Shrine float for parades all over Iowa and would volunteer his time escorting children to and from the burn centers. In 1988 Art received one of the highest awards in the Masonic Lodge, the TS Parvin Award.

Art was always looking to serve his community; he began volunteering for the Boy Scouts of America. In 1966, Art bought Mary Ann’s Pie Shop where he would retire after working for the next 35 years. Generations of customers loved his warm smile and legendary cinnamon rolls, and cookies, and bread, and turnovers, and pies, and sticky rolls. Art never met a stranger; he would greet each customer with a smile and a kind word. Art was so trusting he was known to put an honor jar on the counter when he would have to leave the building whether it was helping a customer with car issues, or to run someone to work when they were standing at the bus stop in the rain. The bakery was more than a business, it was a community center. Children would come in the morning to stay warm, or leave their books on the shelves and no matter how little change they had in their pocket, it was always just the right amount to buy a cookie.

From vacationing in Canada with his family when they were little to traveling worldwide with the Shriners, Art loved an adventure. In 1995 he drove a support vehicle for a group of bicyclists who rode from California to Washington, DC to celebrate Iowa’s upcoming sesquicentennial.

Over the years Art watched his family grow and blossom. Stephen’s (Janet) family includes two grandchildren, Nancy (Jay Johnson) and Brad (Stephanie) and five great-grandchildren. Debbie’s (Donald Eaton) family includes grandchildren Richard (Barbara), Jannelle (Aaron Kennedy), Art (Cathy), Angellina (Michael Sitzman), Julie (Dustan Berns), and sixteen great-grandchildren.

Art’s greatest beliefs were his faith and his family and he spent his life serving both.

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