Arlen Schwinke, 92, of rural Morrison, died February 4, 2023 at Hermann Area Hospital following a brief illness.
Arlen was born on the family farm near Fredericksburg on September 30, 1930. He was the husband of Kay (Boettcher) Schwinke. They were united in marriage on September 19, 1954, at St. James United Church of Christ, Morrison, MO.
Agriculture—in all forms--was Arlen’s passion. He grew up on the family farm and was one of the charter members of the FFA program at Hermann High School. He served in the US Army in Germany. He graduated from the College of Agriculture at the University of Missouri, where he was a member of Alpha Gamma Sigma Fraternity. He first worked as a 4-H Agent in Carroll County and then as a county agent in Wright County. In 1960 he and his wife Kay moved to the family farm near Fredericksburg where they joined the family dairy operation and raised their four children.
Arlen was an innovator in production agriculture and gave his time and leadership on behalf of cooperatives and agriculture in Missouri and nationally. He served on the boards of Square Deal Milk Producers, Mid-America Dairymen, and the Dairy Farmers of America. He served as treasurer of Mid America Dairymen 1978-1984, chairman of the Missouri State Milk board, president of the Association of Missouri Dairy Organizations and served 26 years on the state board of the Missouri Farm Bureau. His calendar may have been filled with meeting dates, but his voice mail message always told the real story – that he and Kay were “out giving tender, loving care to our cows.” He was honored with numerous awards including Citation of Merit from the Ag Alumni Association at the University of Missouri and the Distinguished Service Award from Gamma Sigma Delta.
Arlen was equally passionate about his faith and his family. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s E. & R Church in Fredericksburg and was an active member of St. James United Church of Christ, Morrison, MO for the rest of his life. Arlen is survived by his wife of 68 years, Kay; two sons, Carl (Tina) of Teutopolis, IL and Keith (Vicki) of Jefferson City, MO; two daughters, Nelda (Darrell) Godfrey of Liberty, MO, and Ann (Keith) Walters of Otterville, MO; six grandchildren, Mark Godfrey (Brooke), Overland Park, KS, Elisabeth Eisenbacher (Joe), Omaha, NE; Clay Schwinke (Beth), Lee’s Summit, MO, Alex Schwinke, Sedalia, MO, Kara Schwinke, Morton, IL and Christa Schwinke, Warsaw, IN; and four great grandchildren: David, Lydia and Daniel Eisenbacher, and Otto Schwinke.
He is preceded in death by his parents Arthur and Selma Schwinke, and sister Marian (Schwinke) Wiseman.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, February 8th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at St. James United Church of Christ, Morrison, where funeral services will be held Thursday at 11:00 a.m., with Rev. Joe Eisenbacher and Rev. Dean Klossner officiating. Burial will be at Good Hope Cemetery, Morrison.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorials to St. James United Church of Christ, Morrison, MO, Gasconade County R-1 School Alumni Association, or the Fredericksburg Cemetery Association