Obituary: Arlin Thomas Detke

Arlin Thomas Detke, born in Crosby, ND on August 26, 1936, passed away peacefully on November 19, 2012 in Carson City, NV.

He was raised on his family farmstead north of Alamo, ND and attended the Outlook School for his early years and graduated from Alamo High School in 1954. He spent the next several years working on local farms and at the Alamo elevator.

The lure of the sea and schooling led him to enlist in the U.S. Navy in May 1956. He attended classes for guided missile electronics and after serving for six years and was honorably discharged in April 1962.

Following his discharge, Arlin continued working with electronics while working for Wyle Labs in Southern California. He moved on to Hughes Aircraft in El Segundo, CA, working for their satellite testing division where he found a home. He worked there for twenty-five years rising to the position of Supervisor of their space simulation lab.

He retired from Hughes Aircraft in 1989 and moved from Hermosa Beach, CA to Carson City, NV in 1992.

He spent his retirement enjoying his hobbies of photography and firearms and traveling with his sister, Mary. He was a frequent visitor to the gun ranges, weather permitting, and was well known locally for collecting, repairing, and selling firearms to his fellow enthusiasts. He was passionate about reloading and any type of competitive shooting and was always willing to assist his friends, many of whom were made on the firing line.

Arlin was a member of the Elks Lodge, the VFW, various Republican Party affiliations, the NRA, numerous firearm and Second Amendment associations and the Nevada Railroad Museum society.

He was pre-deceased by his parents, Albert and Clara Detke, his brothers, Henry and Milton Swenson, Ray and Charles Detke and his sister, Alberta Detke. He is survived by his sister, Mary Stoke of Carson City and his brother, Fred Detke of Sun City, AZ and numerous nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by many loyal and dear friends.

A Rosary service will be held at the FitzHenry funeral home in Carson City on Sunday, November 25th at 6:00pm. The memorial service is scheduled for Monday, November 26th at 10:30am at the funeral home. A reception will immediately follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a contribution in his name to the charity of their choice.