Obituary of Arlo A. Watchorn

WATCHORN ARLO

Arlo A. Watchorn, age 95 of Yankton, SD passed away peacefully Sunday, March 12, 2023 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 PM with a 7:00 PM Scripture Service Sunday, March 19 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 2:00 PM, Monday, March 20 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home. Interment will follow at the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Yankton. Online condolences may be sent at www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com. Livestreaming of Arlo’s services may be viewed at https://my.gather.app/remember/arlo-watchorn.

Arlo was born on January 29, 1928 in Leigh, Nebraska.  He graduated from Leigh High School, lettering in football and basketball.  He loved sports and was an avid Husker football fan and a New York Yankees baseball fan.  He was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing with his family members and in a league.  Arlo achieved his lifelong goal when he made a hole in one on Crofton’s Lakeview Golf Course Hole #5.  

After high school Arlo stayed on the family farm until January 1951 when he was drafted into the United States Army.  He served in Korea and was honorably discharged in October 1952.  He would say he attended the “College of Hard Knocks”.

Arlo met the love of his life, Carlene Miller, on a blind date.  They were married on May 25, 1952 in Norfolk, Nebraska.  

During their marriage they lived in several cities.  In Fort Morgan, Colorado they owned and operated a Zesto.  They then moved to Concordia, Kansas where they owned and operated an A&W. In the off season, Arlo assisted a local accountant with tax preparation. In 1961, Arlo joined the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, starting at the Council Bluffs store.  He was then promoted to manager of the Kearney, Nebraska store and in 1968 became the Goodyear regional sales manager with Yankton as his home base.  After retiring from Goodyear in 1988, Arlo began working as a tax preparer for H & R Block from the early 1990s through the 2016 tax season.

Arlo was an active member of the Methodist Church.  He served on the Finance Committee, the Board of Trustees, assisted with soup kitchens, Riverboat Days booth and ushering.  He and Carlene were also regular volunteers delivering Meals on Wheels on behalf of the Methodist Church.

Arlo and Carlene loved to travel.  Arlo was the driver and Carlene was the navigator.  Their children soon learned that a “scenic drive” meant that somehow either the driver made a wrong turn or the navigator read a map incorrectly.  Their love of traveling took them to all 50 states, several provinces in Canada, Scandinavia, Italy, and the United Kingdom. He especially enjoyed tracing some of his family heritage while in Ireland.

Family was most important to Arlo and he enjoyed all family gatherings. 

Family survivors include: daughter Lori (Frank) Thomas, Aledo, Texas; daughter Jenae (Terry) Norton, Yankton; son Alan (Linda) Watchorn, Highlands Ranch, Colorado; three grandchildren:  Allison Thomas, Nathan (Janelle) Norton, Joshua Norton; two great grandchildren Natalie and Nathan Norton.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his stepmother, an infant brother (Adrian Arthur), his infant son (Kenneth Duane), and sister Arlene Gnirk and brother-in-law Ed Gnirk.

Memorials may be directed to Meals on Wheels at The Center 900 Whiting Drive, Yankton, SD 57078.