Arnold "Arnie" L. Anderson

If you have ever asked yourself how to write the perfect obituary, Arnold “Arnie” L. Anderson of Valparaiso, Indiana would have had the answer. In fact, Arnie had the answer for how to do most things in exactly the right way; make a Bloody Mary, aim a pistol, use proper table manners, or the best way to cast a line. Born the 16th of June 1948 and raised in Chicago, Arnie, the infamous “Swede” was preceded in death by his loving parents Elmer and Frankhild Anderson and his dear sister, Janice. Arnie tried to learn patience from his two sisters Janice Wetzel (Richard Wetzel) and Phyllis Meyer (Keith Meyer), however, their attempts were met with lessons from Arnie in how best to learn from him. When that didn’t work, his nieces Margretta and Anna helped him laugh and cherish being a proud “Unklee” to his nieces. Despite being a planner, Arnie was not prepared for meeting the love of his life, Suzanne Anderson, who was with him at home when he passed peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday July 26, 2023. With his “Baby” came a family he had not anticipated but loved completely. He leaves behind his grandson, Chance Boney (Grace Boney) who followed in his footsteps and became a police officer who excels at table manners, and a granddaughter Sydney Rain Pennington whom he adored. Both Chance and Sydney made Arnie endlessly proud and, even when they did not do things to his standard of perfection and thoroughness, he knew it would be a legacy he would be proud to leave behind. To be fair, anyone who loved Arnie knows that his level of perfection was a standard that few people in the world could meet. Also loved by Arnie were his step- daughter, Nicole Williams, and grandsons Christopher, Cameron and Nolan Williams. Arnie was extraordinary, never average, and lived his life as such. Having begun his adult life working for a furniture company in Chicago before becoming a manager, Arnie quickly graduated to transporting antiques and imported furniture across the country before landing in California, where if you were lucky enough to hear him talk about it you would be enamored by wild stories of parties with politicians and celebrities such as his weight-lifting friend Arnold Schwarzenegger. Those who were invited to his annual Super Bowl ice fishing parties at “Camp Arnie” could attest to the “luck of Arnie” when it came to fishing and betting on games and can tell you most of his stories were worth the time spent listening. When Arnie was 38, he decided a total life shift was in order and began his twenty-year career with the Chicago Police Department where he spent the majority of his career working the 5th district before retiring in 2006. Arnie stayed busy after retiring as a member of the Cliff Dwellers Club, a prolific antique dealer and collector, an avid fisherman, and one hell of a card player. Arnie has left his artistic mark throughout the Chicago, Michigan and Northwest Indiana region with pieces he cultivated and then sold. Arnie also made good use of the good ol “Luck of Arnie” and could often be found “robbing” the casinos of their fortune. When he wasn’t being the one of the busiest men on the planet, he could often be found taking care of Camp Arnie, or “The Farm” as he referred to it, which he loved almost as much as he loved his family, his friends, and the daily puzzles in the Chicago Tribune. Arnie had made clear his wishes to be cremated and those services are being provided by Burns Funeral Home. The Anderson family will, in the near future, host a celebration of life for those who were fortunate enough to have lived alongside him. In lieu of flowers, Arnie would have liked for his friends to make a donation in his name to Gabis Arboretum in Valparaiso or your local artist community or theater, unless you had his luck, don’t spend it on a card game. Arnie leaves behind a legacy few could ever hope to achieve. Although he did not get to write his own obituary to perfection, his family has attempted to the best of their abilities, recalling all the lessons he has taught us. Mostly, we will remember his advice to celebrate every moment as though it were champagne worthy (Korbel Brut being the only option of course) because it is those moments together that matter most in the end no matter how much you plan. The glorious Swede will be missed by many. Burns Funeral Home, Crown Point entrusted with arrangements.www.burnsfuneral.com.

Arnold "Arnie" L. Anderson

June 16, 1948 - July 26, 2023