Arthur W. Pendray

Arthur W. Pendray

Born May 8, 1906 to John H. and Louise Wolf Pendray at Omaha, Nebraska.

He moved with his parents to a homestead in Sioux County, Nebraska near Harrison in the early 1908. He attended grade school in rural Sioux county and Van Tassell, WY, High School at Sioux County High and at Jirah, Wyoming, graduated at the University of Wyoming with a BA degree in 1928. He taught agriculture in Fort Sumner, New Mexico in 1928-30. He then joined his father in a farming operation for a short time and was band director and teacher in the Lusk Wyoming School in about 1935-36.

At the beginning of the Roosevelt administration he directed the district WPA office in southeast Nebraska. During that time Virginia Schroeder became his wife and he soon adopted Paula, her daughter.

For a short time Arthur was farm director for the K.R.V.N. radio station of Lexington, Nebraska but was living in Lincoln, Nebraska. He also was head of the Merit System for the state of Nebraska in the early 40's.

At the beginning of World War II he had begun work with Western Electric Co. in Lincoln, but took a leave to work on personnel work on the Alcan Highway being built.

Again working for Western Electric he was transferred to Minneapolis where his son Merlin Douglas was born. He completed the rest of his working career as quality control director for that company, till he retired in 1970.

Upon retirement he and his wife moved to Port Hueneme, California. Virginia died in 1975. In 1977 he married Marie Holly who survives him.

He suffered a stroke at the home of his son at Cave Junction, Oregon and died Dec. 13, 1988 at the age of 82.

His cremated remains are interred in the Pendray family plot at Harrison, Nebraska.

Arthur is survived by his wife Marie of Port Hueneme, California; his son Merlin Douglas of Cave Junction, Oregon; sisters (twins) May Earickson of Loveland, Colorado and June Wagoner of Fairbury, Nebraska. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother G. Edward Pendray.

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