TAMA-Arnold J. Vileta, 101, of Tama, passed away Monday, May 16, 2011 at Carrington Place of Toledo. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 2:00 PM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama with Pastor Brian Oliver officiating. Interment will follow at National Cemetery in rural Vining. Visitation will be held Wednesday, May 18, 2011 from 5 to 7 PM at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.
Arnold was born June 19, 1909, to James C. and Anna (Musel) Vileta in York Township, Tama County, Iowa and lived his entire adult life in Tama. His parents were farmers and rented land in the Clutier/Dysart area. He graduated from Clutier High School in 1929 and attended one year of higher education at Cornell College School of music. He married Marie K. (Caloud) on June 27, 1934. During those Great Depression years, his musical career never materialized and he found employment elsewhere. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor he was faced with being drafted. So in 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. His first duty station was Camp Bearle, CA where he and his trombone joined the base band. With military orders to go to Europe, he sent the trombone back to Tama, boarded a troop train and traveled from the west coast to the east coast, passing directly through Tama. (Fifty years later he donated that trombone to the MEREDITH WILSON MUSEUM in Mason City as part of the "76 Trombones" display). His discharge from the military shows four battles, including the Liberation of France and the Battle of the Bulge along with Utah Beach D plus 60. His hearing suffered great damage during these battles. His battalion assisted in the liberation of the infamous Buchenwald Concentration Camp. He later told a family member that the camp shook him to the core. After his military service, he returned to Tama to resume his life. He was a carpenter by trade. In his "retirement" years, he played drums with local bands and entertained at many local senior centers and nursing homes. He also was active in many military organizations, holding local and state offices and working hard for veterans benefits. He volunteered many hours at the Iowa Veterans Home. He and his wife enjoyed traveling and visited all 50 states, the Bahamas, Nova Scotia and most of Southern Canada. He was a charter member of Tama VFW #6607, charter member of AMVETS #10, Clutier American Legion #0453, Hawkeye State Chapter Veterans of Battle of the Bulge, WWII Memorial Society, Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F. Belle Plaine) and La Societe Des 40 Homes et 8 Chevaux (voiture Local #568).
Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife, Marie; a son, Merrill C. Vileta; a daughter-in-law, Terry Vileta; a grandson, Jeffrey Vileta; a great-grandson, Jeremy Poweshiek; and a brother-in-law, Wilbert Caloud.
He is survived by his daughter, Marilyn (Dale) Hicks of Marshalltown; his brother-in-law, Norbert (Evelyn) Caloud of Clutier; his sister-in-law, Alma Caloud of Clutier; six grandsons, John Vileta, David (Alyson) Hicks, Michael (Laura) Fricke, Morris (Cindy) Fricke, Mitchell (Deedee) Fricke and Matthew Fricke; fourteen great-grandchildren; and ten great-great grandchildren.
A memorial fund has been established.