- Date Of Birth: October 27, 1922
- Date Of Death: June 8, 2015
- State: Indiana
Albert L. “Al” Arko, 92, a lifetime resident of Elkhart, passed away early Monday morning, June 8, in his home, surrounded by his loving family.
Al was born Oct. 27, 1922, to the late Louis M. and Pauline (Strukel) Arko.
In addition to his parents, a son, Michael A. Arko; brothers William “Bill” Arko and Victor Arko; and a sister, Eleanor Haney, preceded him in death.
On April 10, 1948, Al married Catherine A. “Kate” Kipka in Elkhart.
Surviving are his wife of 67 years, Kate A. Arko; daughters Barbara (Wayne) Hargrove of Hammond and Karen J. Weldy of Elkhart; two grandchildren, Jay (Katie) Weldy of Maumee, Ohio, and Gretchen Weldy-Adams of Elkhart; and six great-grandchildren, Aiden, Madden and Emery Weldy and Destiny, Nylah and Samara Adams.
Al was a 1940 graduate of Elkhart High School. He then started working for the New York Central Railroad. He heard the call of duty and served in the U.S. Army in Gen. Patton’s Third Army with the 743rd Railway Engineer Operating Battalion from 1944 until his honorable discharge in 1946.
After serving his country, he came back to Elkhart and continued working for the New York Central Railroad for 43 years, retiring in 1983 as an engineer. He was a member at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church for many years. They then began attending Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Edwardsburg, Mich. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1043 and the IARA Club.
Al never knew a stranger. He loved to tell stories and enjoyed camping and eating out.
