Rev Dr. Arnold T. Herbst

Rev. Dr. Arnold T. Herbst, 91, of Sioux City, passed away on Thursday, June 18, 2009 at a local hospital. Visitation will be held on Monday, June 22, 2009 from 3-8 p.m. with the family present from 6-8 p.m. A Masonic service will begin at 6:00 p.m. at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel (6200 Morningside Ave.). Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at First United Methodist Church with Reverend Roger Madden officiating. Burial will follow at Logan Park Cemetery.

Arnold was born on August 1, 1917 at Mt. Vernon, S.D. to Herman and Martha (Arbeiter) Herbst. He attended rural school in Davison County, S.D. and Mt Vernon High School. Arnold then attended Dakota Wesleyan University, where he received his B.A. degree and was graduated Cum Laude. He then attended Drew Theological Seminary, in Madison, N.J. B.D. and was graduated Magna Cum Laude. Then two years additional study at Drew, and one semester at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

Arnold was united in marriage to Ellestine Tiede, on June 6, 1943 at Tripp, S.D. to this union, two sons were born, Dr. John Herbst and Rev. Alan Herbst. After the death of Ellestine in 1996, he married Fern Rundell on June 30, 2001 at the Morningside Presbyterian Church in Sioux City.

Arnold was in the parish ministry for forty years serving the United Methodist Churches in Deadwood, Brookings, Mitchell, and Sioux Falls in South Dakota and St. Pauls United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He served six years as District Superintendent of the Sioux City District of the Iowa Conference and nine years as Assistant to the President for Church Relations at Morningside College. He also served as Eldercare Pastor for four years at First United Methodist Church in Sioux City. Arnold did a teaching fellowship in Old Testament Hebrew at Drew Theological Seminary. He also taught courses in Methodist History, Church History, and Homiletics for four summers at the North Central Jurisdictional Supply Pastors School, Hamlin University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Arnold taught courses in New Testament for one semester at the North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls and also taught a course at the Nurses School at the Methodist Hospital in Mitchell, S.D.

Arnold served on four College Board of Directors: Dakota Wesleyan, Cornell College, Westmar College and Morningside College. He served on three boards of homes for the aged: at Mitchell, S.D., Cedar Rapids, IA, and Watertown, S.D. He also served on two Childrens Home Boards at Mitchell and Sioux Falls, S.D. Arnold was on the Board of Governors, Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Minneapolis. He was on the Boards of WACO, Goodwill, and Shesler Hall in Sioux City and he also served as Imperial Chaplain of the Shrine of North America.

Arnold was a mason for 50 years. He was a member of the Tyrian Lodge #508, Sioux City Scottish Rite Mason; Knight Templar; Life member of El Kahir Temple, Shrine, Cedar Rapids, and member of Abu Bekr Temple, Sioux City. He also was a 32nd degree and KCCH.

Arnold received the Alumnus of the Year award from Dakota Wesleyan in 1968, Order of Morningside College in 1995 and Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Dakota Wesleyan.

Survivors include his wife Fern Herbst of Sioux City, 2 sons, John (Roma) Herbst and Alan Herbst, a sister Leona Kaufman, step daughter, Phyllis (William) Hebert, 2 grandchildren, Jennifer Vaughn and Caleb (Heidi) Herbst, and 3 great grandsons, Logan and Connor Vaughn, and Benjamin Herbst.

Arnold was preceded in death by his first wife Ellestine Tiede Herbst, a sister, Darlene Wieczorek, brother, Leonard Herbst, daughter-in-law, Cheryl Herbst and his parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sunrise Retirement Community, Abu Bekr Transportation Fund, or your local United Methodist Church.