The Graveside Service for Arthur A. Ganthner, age 88, of Mesa, AZ, formerly of Elgin, will be held at 1:00pm MT, Saturday, September 17, 2011 at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery east of New Leipzig with Pastor John Amundson, officiating.

Arthur was born October 11, 1922, north of New Leipzig, ND to Adolf and Olga (Uttke) Ganthner. He graduated from Elgin High School in 1942 and worked on the family farm and for area neighbors. He was united in marriage to Elsie Imhoff in New Leipzig on September 22, 1946. They farmed north of Burt for one year and then moved to Bismarck where he worked for the Great Northern Railroad. He worked there until January 1949, they moved to Minneapolis where he went to telegraph school. They moved to Montana in the fall of 1949 where Art worked as a railroad agent-telegrapher in the northern part of Montana, retiring after 33 years.

They lived in Malta, MT from 1987 to 1995 and then moved to Glasgow, MT. They spent winter months in Mesa, AZ returning to Glasgow during the summer months. He took his electrician exam and passed while he was working on the railroad and did a lot of work in homes.

After retirement he repaired fishing rods and gave them to boys and girls under age 14. He was called Summer Time Santa Claus. He enjoyed fishing and was involved in several fishing derbies and tournaments.

He passed away on August 10, 2011 in due to complications from diabetes at the Good Shepherd Nursing Home in Mesa, AZ.

Art was a Past Grand Master of the Odd Fellows in Montana.

Art is survived by his loving wife, Elsie, Mesa, AZ, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 1 sister, Milda Koepplin, 2 brothers, Raymond, Norman, and two brothers in infancy.