Kristopher L. Arens

HARTINGTON — Kristopher L. Arens, 48, Hartington, , died Sept. 12, 2019, in an automobile accident at the intersection of Highway 12 and the Fordyce spur.

Visitation will be one hour prior to services at Holy Family (Sts. Peter and Paul) Catholic Church, Bow Valley, Wednesday.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Sept. 18, at 2 p.m., at Holy Family (Sts. Peter and Paul) Catholic Church, with the Rev. Andy Phan officiating.

Burial of his cremated remains will be at the Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Bow Valley.

Urn bearer will be Tony Pick.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Hartington.

Kristopher Leon Arens was born Aug. 23, 1971, in Yankton, S.D., to Kenneth Linus and Ruth Ann (Jansen) Arens. He grew up on a farm east of Fordyce, and attended elementary school at East Catholic, Bow Valley, and graduated from Hartington Cedar Catholic High School in 1989. Kristopher went to Northeast Technical Community College, Norfolk, for two years and returned home and farmed with his father. While farming, he also worked in Yankton at Save-UMore Foods. Kristopher worked in Madison, at the Pork Plant for a couple years. He then worked for L&M Radiator, Yankton; Sapa (formerly Alumax), and K-Mart for 13 years until they closed their doors. His final place of employment was at AutoZone, Yankton.

Kristopher collected toy tractors and also loved his full size tractors. He was an avid Nebraska Husker football fan, enjoyed driving his Mustang and his 4-Wheeler. He also loved dogs and had a small white dog named Tippy when he was young and a chocolate lab named Jake later in life.

He is survived by his mother, Ruth, Hartington; special friend, Stacey Schomer, Yankton, S.D.; and several aunts, uncles and first cousins.

Kristopher was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth, in 2015; infant sister, Mary; paternal grandparents, Anthony and Margaret Arens; and maternal grandparents, Alphonse and Myrtle Jansen.