Arie Robert Rysdam

Arie Robert Rysdam, 91, of Elgin, died May 15 at a local care center. A celebration of his life will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at Elgin Christian Church, 1335 Division St. The family requests that attendees dress casually. Burial will be held directly after at Elgin Cemetery with a reception to follow at Elgin Community Center. A viewing for family and friends will run from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Loveland Funeral Chapel.

Arie was born Nov. 15, 1919, to John Egidius Rysdam and Nina Letherby Rysdam on the family ranch on Cricket Flat. He left the Elgin area when he was 19 and moved to Merced Falls, Calif., to find work. He met and married Marguerite Jenkins on Sept. 6, 1940, in Merced Falls.

Arie worked for the Sugar Pine box factory, then later moved to Valley Springs, Calif., and then to Corning, Calif., where he raised cattle and worked for Crane Mills as a planer operator. He would say that he was gradually making his way back to his beloved home in Oregon. In 1965, he moved his family to Elgin where he farmed, raised Black Angus cattle and worked for ODOT plowing snow in the winter.

He loved farming and ranching and enjoyed hunting and spending time with family and friends. He especially loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include his children, Arie Lee Rysdam of Clatskanie and his wife, Marlena, and Janice and her husband, Larry Hallgarth, of Elgin; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Luella Medlock; his brother, John Edigius Rysdam Jr.; his former wife, Marguerite Rysdam who died in 2004; and his beloved daughter, Mary Louise Rysdam who died in 2009.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to any charity.

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