Arvin Herluf Kafton, 78, of Mapleton, passed away on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at the Mercy One Siouxland Medical Center in Sioux City.
Arvin Herluf Kafton was born on December 21, 1944, to Herluf and Wilma (Tadlock) Kafton on
a farm west of Mapleton. He attended school in Mapleton and graduated from Maple
Valley High School in 1964. After graduation, Arvin joined the Army National Guard and served
until 1970.
Arvin married his high school sweetheart, Carole Rauterkus, on October 16, 1965, at the St.
Mary’s Catholic Church in Mapleton, where he was a member.
Arvin farmed his entire life in the Mapleton area. He was a man who enjoyed the simple
pleasures of life and farming was all he ever wanted to do. Besides running his John Deere
equipment on the farm, you could find Arvin hunting, riding dune buggies and motorcycles at
Timber Ridge, spending time with his family and friends, and camping. He was one of the many people that helped build the Rodney Pits into the Peter’s Park that it is today.
Arvin is survived by his beloved wife Carole (Rauterkus) Kafton of Mapleton; three
children: Terry (Stacy Brandon) Kafton of Mapleton, Brenda (Dan) Reimer of Danbury,
and Brett (Jodi) Kafton of Mapleton; grandchildren Tammy (Riley) Kafton, Justin (Kelsey)
Kafton, Toni (Darin) Specketer, Cady Helton, Riley (Dan TenEyck) Kafton, Sam Kafton, Brody
(Karly) Kafton, and Bryce (Autumn Schreiber) Kafton; great-grandchildren Grace and Hope
Specketer and Asher Kafton; brother Wayne (Zola) Kafton of Mapleton, IA; sister Judy (Jim)
Moore of Ft. Collins, CO; brothers-in-law Robert Rauterkus of Mapleton, and Michael Schincke of Omaha; sister Judy (Jim) Moore of Ft. Collins, CO; and sister-in-law Joan (Don) Heidzig of Aberdeen, SD.
He was preceded in death by his parents Herluf and Wilma (Tadlock) Kafton; son Troy Kafton;
daughter Cindy Kafton; grandson Stephen Kafton; sister Arlene (Lyle) Woodward; sisters-in-law
Diane Schincke and Donna Davis; and parents-in-law Gilbert and Helen Rauterkus.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m., on Saturday, January 14, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Mapleton. Father William A. McCarthy officiated. Committal services will follow in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Mapleton. Visitation was from 5-7 p.m., with a Vigil Service at 7 p.m., on Friday, January 13, at the Armstrong-Van Houten Funeral
Home in Mapleton.
The Armstrong-Van Houten Funeral Home of Mapleton, was in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online www.armstrongfuneral.com.