Arne W. Braaten, 72, a resident of Sedro-Woolley, passed away on Sunday, December 5, 2010 at United General Hospital in Sedro-Woolley, Washington.
He was born on December 7, 1937 in Langdon, ND to Elmer and Evelyn (Gronhovd) Braaten.
He lived and attended school in ND, graduating from Nekoma High School in 1955. That summer he joined the U.S. Navy and after serving his country for three years he went back to ND and enrolled in Maybell Teachers College, where he went for 2 years.
He later moved to Arlington, Washington where he worked in auto parts sales and was a fireman. He enjoyed playing on the fire department softball team.
He moved to Sedro-Woolley and worked for Sedro-Woolley Auto Parts as a salesman for over 20 years. He became an avid horseman and joined the Sedro-Woolley Riding Club of which he was a longtime member and served as it’s President for several years. He met many lifelong friends here.
He leaves behind a son, Kent Braaten and his wife Carlene and two grandsons, Bradly (17) and Jarred (14) Braaten of Arlington, WA. Also 3 siblings, Gary (Karen) Braaten of Moorehead, MN, Ronald (Carol) Braaten of Lisbon, ND and Agnes Dick of Harvey, ND along with several nieces and nephews.
A special thanks to the people of the Iron Skillet and the Sedro-Woolley Riding Club for their special friendship.
Services will be held after the holidays. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley.
I’m sorry to hear that you are gone, you will be missed by many. As I think about the years that I had known you we had alot of fun times (Omak) and a lot of good tmes working with you for the Sedro Woolley 4th of July Rodeo, and the Sedro Woolley Riding Club. I can’t believe that I just heard about you leaving us, I know that everytime I drive by the Rodeo Grounds I will be looking for you.
We have so many great memories with Arne that it’s hard to even start.
I meet him while working with him in Carrington, ND. He later moved out west and Roy & I soon followed with our family. We all ended up with Arne in Arlington, Wa. and shared so many good times with him…like going to the Darrington Rodeo’s, snowmobiling, horseback riding, and all the family holidays. We then continued to follow each other and we all ended up in Sedro-Woolley, Wa. where we had alot more good times.
He wasn’t only a good friend to us but became part of our Family over the years. I’m glad that I got to have coffee with him and Chuck this past summer to get caught up and sorry to say that was the last time I would ever enjoy his company. He will be missed.
Our prayers go out to Kent and his family.
Rest in Peace, Arne
Roy & Carol Taxdahl
Like everyone has already said, Arnie will surely be missed but not forgotten. I remember dancing with arnie at the legion in woolley years ago and boy did he enjoy dancing!!! The last time I talked to him I was going in to the cancer clinic at United and he was being wheeled out to his truck from just having a treatment. He was struggling once they helped him out of the wheel chair and he leaned up against his truck and slowly walked from the back to the drivers door. I saw something fall and walked over to him to get it for him, it was his belt and he just chuckeled and and said something funny like I was about to catch him with his pants down or something and he went on and got in the drivers side and climbed in. He`s not struggling any more . R.I.P. Arnie
I’m sorry to hear of Arne’s passing. He was such a huge part of our family from the time we were kids. I recall lots of fun times with this special guy like when we all lived in Arlington and he would pull us behind his car with a carhood down the road…going on hikes in the Skagit Valley, Going to Pendleton Rodeo, and him making crank calls to my parents house when he knew they were gone and we would be having “friends” over..he said he was a cop one time….he loved doing those types of calls to us. He was great fun to have around…always with us during the holidays and joking around with everyone in the family. He was always a kid at heart.
He will be missed. My heart goes out to Kent and his family. It’s been years since I’ve seen Kent but we too enjoyed alot of good times when we were kids. I’m sorry to say that I haven’t seen Arne in a few years but I’ll always have fond memories of him joking around and taking the time to enjoy life to it’s fullest.
Rest in Peace…Arne
Arne was a very close friend of mine. There are so many good times that I had with Arne that I will remember forever. We went camping, horseback riding and we spent many times laughing, talking and being good friends. When I was 14, Arne and I went to Eastern Washington together and he got me my first job working on a ranch. He was the president of the Sedro Woolley Riding Club, while I was vice president and Arne put so much time and dedication into the club. It was something that he believed in and loved to do. Working side by side with Arne at the Rodeo club will always be a good memory for me.
Arne was very close to the rest of my family too because they are from North Dakota and knew each other there when they lived there. They ended up moving to Arlington, Washington along the same time and then they moved to the Sedro Woolley area where they remained close friends.
Arne spent many Christmases and holidays with my family, in fact Arne was part of my family.
I will miss him and I will never forget the times we spent together. Arne will always be an important part of my life.
Geez Arne you left us too soon. I wish we could have had more time. I also wish I would have called you on Thanksgiving.
Arne was a good, good brother. Having lost our dad when we boys were young, he pretty much took over. Arne was a good athelete, he was tough, and he looked out for the underdog. He didn’t like to see anyone get picked on and he would usually rectified the situation.
Arne was known to tell a tall tale or two or three or four…………..many of us, including his nephews and nieces, his great-nephews and nieces, and his great, great-nephews and nieces usually believed them….in fact some acually thought he was God! Never-the-less he was loved by all. Arne also liked to tease and to flirt and to tease and to flirt. Nothing more needs to be said about that.
Keep an eye on us down here Arne. May you rest in peace.
Love Ron
You were always a really cool uncle! I know that you had a brother & sister with open arms waiting for you, but it will be a loss for us who are still here! RIP Uncle Arne!
I was so sorry to hear of the death of Uncle Arne. He was my high spirited uncle that when he was around, you knew there wouldn’t be a dull moment. He always had a look in his eye that could potentially be trouble:) I remember him coming to visit after I was married and he had started a squirt gun fight with my boys – in the house. That was Arne. He loved to visit and we looked forward to his trips home to North Dakota. He lived a full life – just not long enough. He will be missed. Kent, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Keep in touch.
Love, Lynn
Arne’s siblings: Agnes Dick – Harvey, ND, Ellen Dick – Deceased, Gary (Karen) Braaten – Moorhead, MN, Ron (Carol) Braaten – Lisbon, ND., Daryl Braaten – Deceased
Arne, Sedro Woolley will never be the same without you here..your smile lit up the room wherever you went..God speed Arne..you will indeed be missed
Arne is one cool guy. He will always be in our thoughts.
Arne..Arne, Arne – my friend. Sedro-Woolley will never be the same without Arne. Sitting with him at the Iron Skillet was quite interesting. People of all ages would come up to him and say hi. In fact, the last time I had breakfast with him a young girl did just that. Everyone knew Arne. And something else, you never knew what was going to come out of his mouth. I remember about five years age we decided to go somewhere different and so we hopped in the car and drove to Winthrop. We had breakfast at Cook’s in Marblemount and lunch at Sun Mountain Lodge. Then we sang country music all the way home. (That was the best part). I loved that man.
Arne was a good friend of mine ever since we went to high school together. The obituary has an error and some omissions: Arne graduated from Edmore high school in 1955, after moving there for his senior year. Besides his three brothers, he also had two older sisters, whose names I do not recall.
Arne was very well liked and was skillful at many things and as his friends in Sedro-Wooley he was especially fond of horses.
He will be missed. My sympathy to his family.
Glen Diseth
Oh Arne…you will be missed. I have a really awesome picture of us somewhere when you let me wear your hat. I cried when I got the news but then when I remembered you, I laughed. My mom loved seeing you at the Iron Skillet. Safe travels…and tell my mom hi for me when you get where you are going. Love, Cindi
Happy Birthday Arne, you will be greatly missed by many.. enjoy the rodeo in the sky.. you always had a smile everyday and that is what we will miss the most.