Obituary of Leon Frederick Arn Jr.
Leon Frederick Arn Jr.
July 16, 1947-April 7, 2026
Leon Frederick Arn Jr., passed away peacefully on April 7, 2026, age 78, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on July 16, 1947, in Saginaw to the late Leon Arn Sr. and Betty (Dwyer) Arn. He remained a lifelong resident of Saginaw.
Leon lived a life grounded with family, hard work, and simple joys. He married Gretchen, the love of his life, on January 23, 1965, and recently celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary. He retired from Saginaw Steering Gear in 1998. Retirement did not last but a few years as he loved to be busy. He then worked at The Home Depot in the hardware department. This allowed him to share his skills and friendly spirit with customers and coworkers. He continued to work until 2024 when the effects of lung cancer and COPD affected his ability to perform his job to the level he desired. He loved woodworking and all things tool related. He was a Do It Yourselfer - always working on projects around the house, remodeling and helping and/or making things for his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed golfing, fishing, and camping, but most of all he loved spending time with his family. He and Gretchen always had a welcoming home for family and friends, and many great celebrations were enjoyed there. He also loved watching his sports, especially cheering on the Wolverines, Lions and Tigers.
His guidance, opinions and humor will be deeply missed. He is survived by his devoted wife, Gretchen Arn (Yeager); his children, Linda Beuthin, Betty (Bruce) Brendle, and Thomas (Rachel) Arn; and his grandchildren, Nic, Justin, Jacob, Matthew, Hannah, Kaleb, and Chandler. He is also survived by his siblings, Sharon Beieler and Terry Arn.
Leon was preceded in death by his infant son, Michael Lee Arn; his son-in-law, Kurt Beuthin; and his brother, Edward Arn.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:30 a.m., April 12, 2026, at the Horizon Conference Center, 6200 State Street, Saginaw, MI 48603.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to The Lung Cancer Foundation of America or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, causes that reflect Leon’s generous and caring spirit.
To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.cremationsocietymidmi.com. Arrangements made with the Cremation Society of Mid Michigan.
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