Arnold Pierce Darsch, 95, of Lake Mills, died on Friday, July 30, 2021.
Born on July 28th, 1926 to the late Arnold Rudolph Darsch and Lena "Winnie" Baar Darsch in Chicago.
His dad was born to German immigrants in Chicago, and his mom was born in Vienna, Austria and came to Chicago with her parents and younger sister in 1910. He was very proud to be an American.
He graduated from Shurz High School in Chicago at the age of 17. He enlisted in the US Navy and served in WWII on the USS Carmick.
Dad went to college at the University of Illinois Champagne Urbana to study electrical engineering. Some of his professors there encouraged him to get higher degrees and stay to become a professor, but he chose the private sector.
With his partner Ronald Ferguson he started an electronics company called Ronar. They later bought out Hamlin, and stayed with that name. They moved the business to Lake Mills. He traveled the world for their international business, and even developed electronic switches for the lunar landing module.
He married Mary Jane Brower on May 28, 1955. They had two daughters: Susan Jane and Pamela Jean, born in 1958 and 1961, respectively.
He enjoyed dancing with his wife on ice skates and roller skates. In Chicago at The Hub, in Madison with the Figure Skating Club, and in Hartland WI at Skateworld. After Mary Jane passed, he enjoyed skating at Skate Express in Watertown WI with Terri Miller.
In his teens, he and his dad shot fireworks at Soldier's Field in Chicago. He spent his summers during his college years shooting fireworks for the same company he and his dad worked for. When he moved to Lake Mills, someone found out about his fireworks experience, and asked if he would do the same for the city. He enjoyed doing so for many years, working with volunteers that included family and good friends.
He was very happy in Lake Mills, and was pleased to be able to give back to the city. He served on the planning commission for many years, and even served as interim city manager for a time. He enjoyed teaching a Boy Scout troop about astronomy and telescopes. His father had learned to grind telescope lenses at Alder Planetarium in Chicago, and he taught Arnie how to do it too.
He had many hobbies over the years, including sail boating in the summer and ice boating in the winter, making wine and white lightning and ginger beer. He enjoyed talking to people around the world in person when he traveled (every continent except Australia and Antarctica), and on the ham radio when he was at home. He liked to play the organ, and was active in the Dairyland Theater Organ Society. He was well known in that group as someone who could repair the electronics of pipe organs.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Jane; and his daughter, Susan Darsch.
He is survived by his daughter, Pam Williams, his son-in-law Dave Williams, and his two granddaughters Julia Kendl and Terri Williams.
Services will be held on Wednesday, August 4th, 2021 at 8 p.m. at the Claussen Funeral Home in Lake Mills.
Friends may call from 6 p.m. until the time of services at the funeral home.
If desired, memorials may be made to the University of Illinois Champagne Urbana
