Arvin F.H. Shipley

Arvin Frederick Henry Shipley of Esko, Minn., will be celebrating his 70th birthday as he enters the heavenly kingdom, being called to his eternal home on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013. Arvin, called "Fred" by all who knew him, was born on Jan. 9, 1943, in Cloquet, Minn., the second child of Arvin B. "Dude" and Edythe (Youngkrantz) Shipley. He lived the first 12 years of his life in Scanlon. While in Scanlon, Fred had many friends in the community. At this time, Fred began his interest in automobiles: how they worked, and how to fix them if they didn’t work. Often, he and his dad had their hands and heads under the hood of a car.

This interest was further developed when Fred was a student at Cloquet High School, graduating in 1960 and then enrolling in automotive courses at Dunwoody Industrial Institute in Minneapolis, Minn. Fred was united in marriage to Dorothy Siltanen and they made their home in Esko’s Thomson Township where Fred took an active role in civic politics, serving on the township board for several years. He was also a member of the Esko Historical Society and the Esko Senior Citizens. Fred was employed by Duffy-Mathers as a mechanic. He then followed in his father's footsteps as a hydroelectric engineer for Minnesota Power and worked there until his retirement.

Fred was a person who was often called on for his automotive skills, and he maintained many cars and small engines, and even as his eyesight declined he could explain to people how to fix things.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Dorothy.

He is survived by his son, John (Teresa) of Esko; granddaughter, Samantha Shipley; step-granddaughter, Alexis Chambers; brother, William “Bill” of Duluth; sisters, Sandra (Dennis) Nelson of St. Michael, Minn., and Laurel McLevis of Barnum, Minn.; mother-in-law, Sylvia Siltanen of Cloquet; sister-in-law, Linda (Dave) Mitchell of Esko, Minn.; nephews, Shawn, Scott and Stephen Sarazin, Tyler and Anthony Bagne, and Al and Jason Mitchell; and nieces, Tess Williams and Ginger Konz.

Fred will be remembered by many because of his fondness for tractors, especially John Deere. A highlight of Fred's life was featured on Adventure North showing his “fleet” of these machines and the pride he had in keeping then in working order and donating a new John Deere lawn tractor to North Country R.I.D.E.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, Jan. 9, from 1 p.m. until the 2 p.m. memorial service in Atkins-Northland Funeral Home, Cloquet. A time of lunch and fellowship will follow in the Fireside Room of the funeral home. Spring inurnment will be in Apostolic Lutheran Cemetery in Esko.

To sign the guest book and offer an online tribute, see www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com.

January 10, 2013 ~ Pine Journal, Cloquet, Minn.

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