Richard Arnold “Arnie” Leet

Richard Arnold “Arnie” Leet

Washington

Richard Arnold “Arnie” Leet, age 77, of Washington, Iowa, died Monday, January 2, 2023 at the Halcyon House following a short illness.

Celebration of life services will be held 1:30 p.m. Friday, January 6, 2023, at the Marion Avenue Baptist Church with Pastor Joseph Brown officiating. Family will receive friends from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. Friday, January 6, 2023. Interment will take place at the West Chester Cemetery in West Chester, Iowa. The family requests no flowers. Memorials have been established for the Marion Avenue Baptist Church. Online condolences may be sent for Arnie’s family through the web at www.jonesfh.com

Arnie was born April 23, 1945 in Washington, Iowa, the son of Richard D. and Minnie L. (Carr) Leet. He graduated from Washington High School in 1964. He attended the Allied Institute of Technology in Chicago before getting his bachelor’s degree from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Arnie was united in marriage to Ann Chambers on July 6, 1999 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.

Arnie lived most of his adult life in the Warren, Ohio area. He owned a commercial refrigeration business. After he sold his business Arnie worked as a vocational teacher at Trumble County Vocational School where he taught electrical technologies. For three years, Arnie and Ann traveled the country working for the Roving Volunteers in Christ’s Service (RVICS). While with RVICS, Arnie helped construct buildings and did a lot of electrical work in those buildings. In 2015 Arnie and Ann moved to Washington, Iowa where they owned and operated Needle and Thread for several years. They were members of Marion Ave Baptist Church. Arnie liked to be busy as was known as “Mr. Fix It.”

Arnie is survived by his wife, Ann Leet of Washington, Iowa; daughter, Jill Townsend and husband Joe of Warren, Ohio; daughter, Dana Chileski and husband Andy of Marysville, Ohio; four grandchildren, Jordan Townsend, Jolie Townsend, Addie Chileski, and Daniel Chileski; sister, Marilyn Simon of Chicago, Illinois; sister, Virginia Leet of Tomah, Wisconsin; sister, Carol Edwards and husband Charles of Morrisville, North Carolina; sister, Patricia Sellers and husband John of Washington, Iowa; and brother, James Leet and wife Jan of Washington, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Mary Ellen; and sister, Clara Cave.