Obituary. Arthur Edward “Art” Holtman was born January 26, 1919, at Walsburg, Kansas, the son of Andrew Cornelius and Ida Wilhelmina (Nelson) Holtman. He passed away June 27, 2013, at Mercy Regional Health Center in Manhattan.

He was baptized and confirmed in the Walsburg Lutheran Church near Leonardville. His early schooling was at Lee, a one room country school and he graduated from Leonardville Rural High School in 1936.

Following high school, Art taught in the country schools of Walsburg and Cleburne, Kansas. In 1939, he began working for the Farmers Union CO-OP Elevator in Manhattan. On February 24, 1941, he, along with 56 other youth, was in the first draft out of Riley County in World War II. This was 10 months before Pearl Harbor and was to be for one year military training. It was called “Selective Service” because they supposedly had been “Selected”. After Pearl Harbor the term of service was changed to “duration plus six months”. He was discharged in October 1945 after attaining the rank of Tech Sergeant. He served in the Airborne Forces in the European Theatre. He earned three campaign ribbons and the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service.

After discharge, he returned to Manhattan and worked for City Investment Company, a local finance company. In 1952 he became business manager of Nelson Clinic, a group of nine local medical doctors. He was the first administrator of College Hill Skilled Nursing Center. In 1970, he went to work at the old Memorial Hospital as accountant and Assistant Administrator, retiring in 1982.

Art was a member of First Lutheran Church in Manhattan. He served on the church council three different times as well as on other church committees and was church treasurer for 14 years. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #17, the Manhattan Lions Club, and was a charter member of the World War II Memorial Association.

He was united in marriage to Betty Linquist on July 18, 1948 at Swedesburg Lutheran Church north of Clay Center, Kansas. She preceded him in death on January 6, 1977. He later married Jean Tannehill on June 10, 1978 in Manhattan. She survives of the home.

Additional survivors include one son, Michael Holtman and his wife Lynn of Belvue, KS, one daughter Gail Putman and her husband Michael of Phoenix, AZ; one sister, Marie Renz of Manhattan; two step-daughters: Shelisa Mueller and her husband Jim of Wamego, KS, and Lenka Peil and her husband Brian of Manhattan; three grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, one step great-grandson, and many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, July 2nd, at the First Lutheran Church in Manhattan with Reverend Dr. Keith Wiens officiating. Interment with military honors will follow in the Sunrise Cemetery in Manhattan.

The family will receive friends from 7:00 until 8:30 P.M. Monday at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home.

http://www.ymlfuneralhome.com/obituary/5026