Arnold Dean Weston

Arnold Dean ‘Pogo’ Weston
Arnold Dean Weston was born in Corinth, Mississippi, on May 11, 1935, and passed away peacefully on March 29, 2019, in Roseburg, Oregon.  He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Shirley Jean (Whorton) Weston.  He is survived by his four children and their spouses:  Rodney and Denise Weston, Peggy and Ron Kersey, Greg and LaDon Weston, and Kathy and Ed Makinson.  He is also survived by his step-sister and brother, Betty Forbis and Lloyd Forbis.  He was preceded in death by one grandson, but is survived by thirteen grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. His mother, Cordelia Crider Weston, died when Arnold was a boy and his father, Leland Weston, and step-mother, Marie Weston, preceded him in death as did his brothers, Leon and Leonard.
A longtime resident of Roseburg, Arnold lived a full life.  He was employed by Roseburg Lumber for 46 years, nearly all of them as the operator of the big lathe.  He was nicknamed ‘Pogo’ by his fellow workers because in his younger years he looked like he was always sleepy.
Arnold retired at age 62 to enjoy family and traveling.  He traveled to and in nearly every state, including Alaska and Hawaii.  In his travels he demonstrated his great love for family.  He would purposely plan his trips to include visits with relatives and kept up with many relatives through the years.  During his retirement, he spent many years as a volunteer driver for the Roseburg VA Hospital.
His own family was very important to him.  He and Shirley married in June of 1953, and she preceded him in death in 2013.  They enjoyed life together for 60 years, and he often reflected upon those years and longed to have her continued company till his death.  His four children were important to him as evidenced by his constant communication with them, and surprise ‘drop-in’ visits as he was ‘in the neighborhood’.
He would often travel to watch his grandchildren in athletic ventures and other activities in which they participated.  He enjoyed golf, boating, camping, playing card games like ‘hand and foot’ and helping others.  He was also a basketball star as a youth and said it was basketball that kept him in school through the 8th grade.  Over time he demonstrated his skill in construction, always finding some way to ‘improve’ his homes as well as assisting others in their remodeling ventures.
His friendly ways were obvious through his good-natured kidding, his genuine greeting and a big smile when conversing with others.  He earned the nickname ‘bulldog’ because he was relentless in his tasks, and bold in many areas of life – including earning his GED late in life, “just to do it”.
Another very important part of his life was his spiritual life.  He served the Garden Valley Church of Christ for decades in varied capacities:  deacon, elder and an encourager of others.  His faith in God sustained him through the years.  He also served other congregations of the churches of Christ in his work through a service-oriented organization called the Sojourners, combining his love of travel with his desire to serve.
His family loves him as he loved them.  He had the love and respect of his parents and in-laws, his wife, his children and all the extended family.  He was often a ‘behind the scenes’ mover of many and has left big shoes for others to fill.


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