Arneson Jr., Thomas Meredith

DARLINGTON – Thomas Meredith Arneson Jr., was born Sept. 29, 1944, and passed surrounded by his family at Upland Hills Health on Sept. 9, 2024.

Tom graduated from Barneveld High School in 1962. He started his career at Arneson Bobcat with his dad, Tom Sr. Upon his dad’s passing and the sale of the business Tom went into the farming industry.  He loved to get behind the wheel of his International tractors and work the fields.  

He joined the Barneveld – Brigham Fire Department in 1964 serving as Fire Chief from 1985 to his retirement from the department in 1995. He then moved to Mount Horeb and joined their Fire Department.  Tom continued his passion for the fire industry and sold fire equipment with Jefferson Fire and Safety for 25 years until his retirement at the age of 73 giving him 53 years in the fire industry.  

Tom had many passions in life.  He loved the mountains and sunsets of Colorado; he could not get enough of it.  He loved horses and had many horses throughout the years.  His favorites were quarter horses and draft horses.  He also had a huge collection of Bobcats and International tractors that he has collected for many years.  Tom was also a very avid hunter and enjoyed many hours in the woods with his son, Tom III, and his nephew, Jim Kelter, and passed his passion and wisdom down to them.  He loved to sit around and share many hunting stories about his countless hours in the woods.  He had a love for sports and attending all of his kids and grandkids sporting events over the years.  His favorite was softball, and he was a very well-known fast pitch softball pitcher in the area and shared his pitching knowledge with not only his kids but also many others.

Tom is survived by his first wife, Linda (Moyer) Arneson and their five children, Tina Arneson, Kari (Brent) Arneson, Amie (Brad) Martin, LeAnn (Willie) Arneson and Thomas III (Alyssa) Arneson; and his current wife, Dawn (Acherman) Arneson of 19 years and her two children, Jason Furman and Hannah (Alex) Marx.  He also survived by his grandchildren, Mike Jones, Mikaela (Krys) Farag, Bryce (Karissa) Arneson, Jordyn Arneson, Brandyn (Khatjiha) Arneson, JT (MacKenzie) Latham, and Jace and Bo Arneson; great-granddaughter, Scottie Renee; great-grandson, Jesse Parker; sisters, Lonna Arneson and Dianne (Jerry) Jacobson; and countless nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas M. Arneson Sr., and Lois (Evans) Arneson.  

A celebration of life will be held at the BARNEVELD – BRIGHAM FIRE STATION, 403 County Road ID, Barneveld, beginning at 11 a.m. with final call at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024.  

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to your local fire department in Tom’s name.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson Camacho 

Mount Horeb

Funeral & Cremation Care

500 N. Eighth St.

(608) 437-5077