Vanita May Arndt

COLERIDGE — Vanita May Arndt, 92, Coleridge, formerly of Wynot, died Feb. 4, 2019, at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, S.D.

Visitation and a Vigil service were Feb. 6 at Holy Family (Sacred Heart) Catholic Church, Wynot, and continued Thursday at the church, one hour prior to services. Arrangements were under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington.

Mass of Christian Burial was Feb. 7 at Holy Family (Sacred Heart) Catholic Church, Wynot, with the Rev. Eric Olsen officiating.

Burial was at the Wynot City Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Maurice Ketter, Jim Hans, Aaron Koch, Tim Burbach, Jay Heimes and Rick Hans.

Vanita May Arndt was born May 19, 1926, in Harrold, S.D., to Frank Carl and Helen Bertha (Tramp) Yonke. She grew up northwest of Crofton and graduated from Wynot High School in 1944. Vanita married Gerald F. Arndt Sept. 21, 1947, in Crofton. She and Gerald moved to Sioux City, Iowa, and lived there until moving to Wynot in 1961. Vanita worked for the Wynot Public School for six years before moving to West Palm Beach, Fla., in 1970. She worked as the senior accountant for the Palm Beach County School Board until she retired in 1985. Gerald died April 16, 1976, at the age of 50. He was buried in Wynot and Vanita moved back to Wynot shortly after.

Vanita was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Wynot. She was mayor of Wynot from 1990-1997, and remained on the town board until November 1998.

She is survived by a son, G. Roger, and wife, Karen Arndt, Spencer, Iowa; two grandsons Jerry (Renee) Arndt, Baton Rouge, La., and Mark (Jean) Arndt, Dickens, Iowa; two great-grandsons; one great-granddaughter, one great-great-grandson.

Vanita was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gerald; four sisters, Rita Sanders, a Peterson, Adele “Midge” Hale and Wilma Schnabel; and four brothers, Marion, Richard, Clarence and James Yonke.