Arthur Leon Delmez

Arthur Leon Delmez, 95, of Newton, KS, passed away, Monday, September 18, with his sons by his side. A rosary will be prayed at 6:30 pm with visitation from 7:00-9:00 pm on Thursday, September 21 at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 am, Friday, September 22 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Newton. Burial will follow the Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.

Art was born January 3, 1928 in Mulberry, KS the youngest of seven children of Belgian immigrants Arthur and Anna Delmez. He grew up on the family farm in Frontenac, KS where they grew vegetables and flowers, most notably gladiolus. After graduating from Pittsburg High School in 1946, he attended college at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS where he was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity and graduated with a bachelor of science in education in 1950. It was there that Art met his future wife, Paula Karlinger, when he put snowballs in her coat pockets. They had their first date during a fraternity/sorority hayride.

Art and Paula were married January 28, 1950 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frontenac, KS. They celebrated 70 happy years of marriage in 2020. Art was a devoted husband and father to three sons.

After graduating from college, Art began his career with the J.C. Penney Company. Life and career moved the family to several cities including Pittsburg, KS, Hutchinson, KS, Denver, CO, Magna, UT, returning to Denver, CO, and finally anchoring in Newton, KS in 1969. He retired from the Penney Company in 1988, but it wasn’t long before his strong work ethic led him to begin a second career at the Old Mill in Newton. His second retirement came in 2018.

As they grew, Art loved cheering from the sidelines as he watched his boys in their athletic pursuits. Each of his sons, in turn, left home, graduated college, got married and began families of their own. The family grew to include seven grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Art was a loving and attentive grandfather and great grandfather.

Art was an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, a 4th degree Knight of Columbus, and a longtime member of the Rotary Club. He was an avid Denver Bronco fan and enjoyed gardening, playing golf, watching football, and getting coffee with his friends.

Art is preceded in death by his wife of 70 years Paula Delmez; his parents, Arthur and Anna Delmez; five brothers, Leon, Edgar, Albert, Marcel, and Rene Delmez; one sister, Yvonne Palmer; and one great grandchild, Barrett Delmez. He is survived by three sons, Brian Delmez and wife Ellen, of St. Louis, MO; Gary Delmez and wife Deborah, of Olathe, KS; and John Delmez and wife Colleen, of Denver, CO; seven grandchildren, Brett Delmez, Shannon Whiston, Eric Delmez, Rebecca Lafrinere, Tonya Lafferty, Janelle Sorrow, and Shawn Delmez; and 13 great grandchildren.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to St. Mary’s Catholic Church.