father ~ Otto Jarjus Mittelstaedt born 30 July 1887 - died 7 December 1949
mother ~ Marie Martha Emilie Gehm born 09 April 1892 - died 5 May 1966
married ~ Gelane M. Merget born 15 July 1912 - died 13 September 2007 -- Married 30 July 1942
siblings ~ A. Dorothy (Mittelstaedt) (Strong) Campbell born 5 August 1912 - died 4 November 1965 A Dorothy
siblings ~ Elwin Mittelstaedt born 26 August 1915 - died 17 September 1993
siblings ~ Roland O. (Mittelstaedt born 28 September 1919 - died 14 April 2000
children
Richard Mittelstaedt born 17 December 1943 - died 17 December 1943
Gerard E. Mittelstaedt born 27 January 1948 -
Ann R. Mittelstaedt born 3 October 1951 -
Arthur R. Mittelstaedt was born on the family homestead in Fall River County, South Dakota - Near Oelrichs, SD.
As a child he was known to family as Bud to differentiate him from his uncle Art.
Before 1920 the family farm went bankrupt and moved east to northeastern Nebraska where other family members lived. After some financial reversals, and the family business (a garage where Otto J. repaired cars) burned down the family moved to Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
Arthur R. started college at what was then a teachers college and began teaching.
He was called into the Army during World War II, went through Officer Candidate School in Florida and became a 2nd Lt. He was assigned to the Army Air Corps and among other things taught maintenance management, and survival. At one time he worked with photo recon.
After the war he Went back to teaching and also finished his Bachelors degree. He went on to earn a Masters Degree in Education from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The day after the degree was conferred he was recalled (into the US Air Force, as the Army Air Corps became its own branch of the military) for service in the Korean conflict. Again he was involved with military education.
After the Korean conflict was essentially over he elected to stay in the USAF as an active reservist rather than return to civilian life. In 1954 he was assigned to Madrid, Spain to establish schools for the military dependents at 3 USAF bases there, in Madrid, Sevilla and in Zaragoza. That was completed and he was transfered to Ramstein, Germany for 54 months to solve a problem with the dependent schools there and next was transferred to Bitburg, Germany. When the 3 year tour of duty in Europe was finished he was transfered to Lackland AFB, Headquarters for much of the USAF education. After 5 years there, in 1963 he transfered to Greenville AFB in Greenville, Mississippi. That base had the Firefighters school, the Personnel school and the Medics school. The base closed in a major military downsizing only 15 months of being assigned there and the next (and last) assignment was to Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Art retired in March 1966 soon after he recived the ROPA (Reserve) rank of Lt. Colonel.
The family moved to McAllen, Texas where he took up teaching at Travis Jr. High School, then Lincoln Jr. High School, where he taught Texas History until he died in July 1974.
Circumstances of death ~ Art had an annual chest X-ray to conform to a Texas requirement that teachers annually prove that they do not have tubercolosis. He had these done at the nearest large USAF hospital, Wilford Hall in San Antonio. When the X-ray was read in 1974 they saw a shadow in the area of the lungs. Art had been a heavy smoker for over 30 years, but had quit some 10 years previous to this X-ray. The hospital called him back to have a look at his lungs, and proposed to use a bronchoscope to examine them ... down the throat. This involves the use of a topical anesthetic. As it turned out, Art was mortally allergic to that topical anesthetic, his heart stopped, and he died.
His body was transfered home to McAllen, Texas. After the funeral he was buried in Valley Memorial Gardens, on the western edge of McAllen, Texas. (When his wife, Gelane died many years later she was laid to rest in the plot next to his.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ dates ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AR Mittelstaedt born 22 Jan 1914 - died 23 July 1974
Married 30 July 1942
taught at Pigeon River School
Jan 1934 - Jun 1934
--- each year ---
Sep 1938 - Jun 1939
Glenbuleah, Wisconsin Sep 1939 - Jun 1940
Glenbuleah, Wisconsin Sep 1940 - Jun 1941
10 Jul 1941 -- 31 Dec 1945 U.S. Army Air Corps
Adell, Wisconsin 3 Jan 1946 - Jun 1947
taught at Ostburg, Wisconsin Sept 1947 - Jun 1948 - GM born
Oshkosh State Teachers College Sept 1948 - Jan 1949
going to school - BS degree
Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1949 - 1950
Summer 49 -- Summer 50 for Masters in Education
Univ. Wisconsin, Milwaukee Tch
Oct 1949-Jan 1950
taught at Peckham Jr Hi Jan 1950-June 1950
Due to hostilities in Korea was recalled into the
U.S. Air Force Aug 1950 - Mar 1966 (retired)
OEO Mar 1966 - Sept 1966 <-testing for Literacy outfit
taught at Travis Jr Hi (McAllen ISD Texas) 1966-67
taught at Lincoln Jr Hi (McAllen ISD Texas) 1967 - May 1974)
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