Barbola Funeral Chapel

Arwayne A. Wiese

Arwayne A. Wiese, age 86, of Dubuque, IA, formerly of Berlin, WI, died peacefully on Monday, November 13, 2023, at Hawkeye Care Center.

He was born October 29, 1937, at home on the farm in Berlin, the son of Arnold and Agnes Schwark Wiese. Arwayne was a 1955 graduate of Berlin High School. He earned the FFA American Farmer Award his senior year and traveled to Kansas City to receive it. He attended UW-Madison and earned the short course Agricultural Degree. On June 9, 1956, he was united in marriage to Bonnie Lou Timm at Grace English Lutheran Church in Berlin.

Arwayne was hired out of college to be a livestock buyer by Swift and Company, based out of Chicago, IL. He was first assigned to the Milwaukee and Chicago stockyards. Over the years he did business with many farmers and ranchers in Eastern Iowa as well as WI, MN, IL, NE, SD, KS, CO and WY. He worked 45 years for Swift and Company before retiring.

He loved playing cards, especially Euchre and Cribbage. He never missed a Men’s Night of card playing at the Maquoketa County Club. Arwayne was a member of the Prognosticators Club and First Lutheran Church in Maquoketa, IA. When he retired, he traveled all around the United States and took a trip to Germany.

He loved going to his kids and grandkids sporting events. He especially enjoyed watching his son-in-law, Kevin, play basketball in college. Arwayne was always ready to give a critique and offer playing advice. Referees always knew he was in the gym. He met many people in his line of work and he loved to talk to everyone. Arwayne always had a story to share. He certainly had the gift of gab and was usually the loudest person in the room. One of the last things he said was, “I have had a good life and pretty much got to do whatever I wanted.” Above all, he loved his kids, grandkids and great-grandkids.

Arwayne and Bonnie named their children in alphabetical order…and so he is survived by four of his five children, daughter, Cynthia Wiese (Linda Niemann), sons, Eric Wiese and Frederic (Dr. Kristine) Wiese and daughter, Gail Wiese Larson (Kevin Larson); eight grandchildren, Mindy (Nick) Stillings Madry, Brandon (Brooke) Wiese, Jared (Whitney) Wiese, Alexander Wiese, Zachary Wiese, Nathanial Wiese, Kyle Larson and Abby Larson; eight great-grandchildren; as well as other family relatives and friends. Arwayne was preceded in death by his parents; ex-wife and mother of his children, Bonnie Lou Timm; daughter; Deborah Wiese Stillings; in-laws, Alfred and Emeline Timm; and son-in-law, Michael Stillings.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at Barbola Funeral Chapel in Berlin. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Rev. Rebekah Tarras officiating. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Berlin High School FFA Chapter. Anyone wishing to send a sympathy card to the family, please mail to Arwayne Wiese, c/o Barbola Funeral Chapel, PO Box 201, Berlin, WI 54923. The family would like to thank the kind and nurturing staff of Hawkeye Care, Dr. Ronald Iverson, Dr. Kristen Nelson and her nurse Joni, and the compassionate staff from the Hospice of Dubuque.