Obituary of Arthur C Towne, Jr.

Arthur Cleveland "Cleve" Towne, Jr. Born September 13, 1925 in Oak Park, Illinois to Arthur C. Towne and Clarice (Gloppe) Towne. At the age of 11, Cleve began a professional acting career in stage and radio in Chicago. He was a member of the Jack and Jill Players, and was featured in many radio productions, serials, and soap operas on NBC, CBS, and WGN. Cleve attended Austin High School, and as part of the Austin High Gang (as they were known in jazz circles), Cleve played drums with a big band. Cleve attended Chicago Teacher's College for a brief time before entering military service in World War II, serving in Army intelligence in Europe. He and his young crew, known as "The Quiz Kids," were tasked with reconnaissance work, and scouted US troops into liberating concentration camps at Dachau and Buchenwald. After the war, Cleve went to work at NBC in New York. Feeling restless, he visited St. Patrick's Cathedral where he felt called to ministry. He left New York to attend St. Olaf College and Luther Seminary. Cleve was ordained at Salem Lutheran Church in Detroit, and served parishes in South Dakota, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Iowa. Cleve loved working in chaplaincy at Metropolitan Medical Center and Fairview Riverside. He retired from active ministry in 1982 and began his third career working at Lutheran Brotherhood. In 1984, Cleve married Karla Kauffman at Bethlehem Lutheran in Minneapolis. In 1991, Cleve officially retired and became a full-time stay at home dad to his young sons, and became primary care giver for his aunt Audrey (Gloppe) Hoyt a few years later. Cleve loved his children deeply, and was very proud of each of them. He is survived by his wife, Karla Kauffman, their sons, Kris Kauffman (Kate) and Colin Towne; grandchildren Tyler, Olivia, and Hailey Kauffman; children from his first marriage, Gregory Towne (Shirley), Deborah Dybdahl (Murray Eaves), Cynthia Dillion (Ron), Nancy Hennen (Dewayne), Lynn Unger (Harry), and Mark Towne (Marianne); twelve grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. Services will be held at Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer, 5440 Penn Ave South, Minneapolis, on Friday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m. with visitation one hour prior. Memorials preferred to Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer.