Arlin Branhagen

Arlin Branhagen, age 75, of Decorah, IA, died on Sunday, February 25, 2024, at Winn Med in Decorah. Funeral Services will be at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, 1725 Washington Prairie Rd. In rural Decorah with Rev. Jennifer Edinger presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the service on Saturday morning at the church. Arlin Tollef Branhagen, was born on November 1, 1948, in Decorah, the son of Arthur T. Branhagen and Elsie (Winger) Branhagen. He died on February 25, 2024, of natural causes in Decorah. Arlin graduated from Thomas Roberts High School in Decorah in 1966, then attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, graduating with bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering in 1970, and was an ultimate ISU sports fan, hosting friends and family to attend games at home and out of state. He worked with the Iowa Department of Transportation for forty years, eventually turning one of his many hobbies - a very early Apple computer - into his life’s work as a computer analyst for the DOT. He often said he was one of two people in Iowa who could change anyone’s driver license record (but didn’t). He lived in Ames and Story City and moved back to Decorah to take care of his father in the last decade of his life. He loved traveling throughout the United States everywhere, especially by car and following ISU teams. In retirement, he was active in setting up many video and sound preparations for the Democratic Party in Story County, and later for historical projects in Winneshiek County. Arlin is survived by his brother, Darrel, his sister-in-law, Betty (McKibben) Branhagen, niece Sarah (Branhagen) Cahill (Jacob) (and their daughter Lily), nephew Andrew Branhagen (dec), and Uncle Lester Branhagen. He also had a large host of cousins present and past, including Branhagen first cousins, by family: Lester - Richard Branhagen (Pam), Julie (Branhagen) Ude (Gene), Diane (Branhagen) Petersburg (Wayne), Alan Branhagen; Olga – Elaine Kelley, Steven Kelley; Henry – Melissa (Travis) Ternus, and Marilyn; Willard – Carolyn (Branhagen) Graves (Donnie), and Lorraine (Branhagen) Chambers (John); and Winger first cousins, by family: Eline - Janice Wiedeman, Kathleen (Wiedeman) Harmson (Wayne); Leonard - Tom Winger (Marilyn), Lorraine (Winger) Burreson (Gary), Jerry Winger (Brinda), Lorna (Winger) Sande (Howard); Idella - Orvin Melaas (Shirley), Larry Melaas (Jaleen); Telford - Alice (Winger) Ruffridge (Duane), Ruth Ann (Winger) .McDowell (Rob); Lucille – Vicki (Rudolph) Williams, Robert Rudolph, and Jon Rudolph.