Donald A. Stoltenberg
Donald A. Stoltenberg (1922 - 2006)
Don Stoltenberg, husband of Irene, passed away Saturday, February 18, 2006 at the age of 83 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, near where the couple had lived since 1992 in their retirement.
He served with Aramco from 1956 to 1977 in a number of locations: Ras Tanura, Dhahran, AOC in the Hague, and Beirut. Don's last position was as manager of the Dhahran hospital enlargement project. He also helped in the design of the Dhahran Dental Clinic and Health Center in Hofuf (Al-Ahsa') and was involved in a number of oil and construction projects.
Don was admitted to the ICU at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas the week of February 5th suffering from severe pneumonia and was hooked up to a ventilator tube for over a week. An infection brought on a fever and periods of racing heart. In his final few days, he told Irene he was ready to go and meet the Lord and ultimately chose to have no extraordinary measures; his tube and IV's were removed and he was given comfort care. During those final days in the hospital, Don variously enjoyed the presence of his wife Irene, family members, and members of their church. He died peacefully in the hospital one minute before noon on Saturday; outside was a winter ice storm that had paralyzed the state.
Don was born to Arthur and Mary Stoltenberg on August 2, 1922 in Chicago. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois and later a second Bachelor's and Master's in Chemical Engineering at Purdue University (Indiana). He served in WW II, receiving a purple heart two times. He received an honorable discharge after the second wound. (In his retirement years, he was a member of the Order of the Purple Heart of Hot Springs Village.)
He and Irene were married October 11, 1944 and lived first in South Charles, West Virginia early in his career when he worked for Union Carbide, then in Whiting, Indiana with Standard Oil of Indiana. He was ultimately hired by Aramco in 1956, living first in Ras Tanura, and worked for the company for 21 years during which time the couple were always active in the Protestant Fellowship of the district in which they lived. Don and Irene were married 61 years!
Upon retirement in 1977, the couple moved back to the States, living first in Hide-A-Way Lake near Tyler, Texas, then, finally in 1992, in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. In retirement, Don enjoyed piloting his small plane (which he later sold), playing golf, participating in Bible Study Fellowship, and doing projects at home and for their church, Village Bible Church in Hot Springs Village.
Don is survived by his wife Irene, one sister, Marilyn, and her husband Russell Shelton of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, one sister-in-law, Zenobia Seaberg of Mercer, Tennessee, various nieces and nephews, and many close friends. The couple had no children.
A funeral for Don was held at Village Bible Church, Hot Springs Village, on Tuesday, February 21 at 2:00 pm. A burial service will be held Monday, March 13 at 2:00 pmj at the Modell Funeral Home in Darien, Illinois followed by the interment at Clarendon Hills Cemetery and Memorial Gardens. (Irene requests that anyone interested in attending let her know ahead if he or she plan to attend the short burial service.)
Cards and notes of sympathy may be sent to Irene at the following address:
Mrs. Irene Stoltenberg
9 Aquila Way
Hot Springs Village, AR 71909
email: distolt@sbcglobal.net