Arne Lester Filan

Arne went home to be with his lord and savior on June 16, 2015 at Parkview in Walla Walla at the age of 84, after a 6 year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Arne was born June 12, 1931, to Arne Bertin and Flossie Filan in Hay, Wash. He grew up in Hay, Spokane and Walla Walla and graduated from Wa-Hi and Whitman College with honors in Accounting and Economics. Arne played sports in high school, but work and farming was his passion. Although the Bible and accounting were easy for him he liked getting his hands dirty and was fascinated with machinery. New machinery was better than the old stuff and didn’t live in the past.

Arne was the best father in the world. His family felt he missed his calling to be a preacher. Prayer, Bible and church were his favorite things to do. He read the Bible from cover to cover more than a hundred times and could quote scripture with ease.

His Sunday school classes were always filled to capacity and not just because of the donuts like mom said. He loved people and had a great testimony. His phone calls and visits won a lot of people to the lord.

Arne served three years in the Air Force in Spokane with two children at the time. He never used any veteran’s benefits because he wanted those injured and ones who needed it most to benefit.

Arne always put God first and family and was always helping people in need. He felt it was more blessed to give than to receive and lived a life all people would relish to have. John 3:16, Jeremiah 29:11 and the 23rd Psalm were favorites. He lived the life and walked with the lord.

Arne met his wife of over 65 years, Harriet McGillic in Colfax, Wash. She was an Irish girl and full of spunk. He fell in love with her at first sight. She was the fair queen and a tennis star and that was all it took. A few dates to Steptoe Butte and fast trips back and forth during harvest and they were married on March 3, 1951, on a snowy day in Colfax. They had three children when he graduated from Whitman College and started farming wheat and peas in Walla Walla.

He always said the city league basketball and baseball were fun wars. From Mill Creek teams of Kiblers and Klickers to Valley Chapel Bowers, Benningtons, Resers and Walters families were fun times. He liked the Lakers and the Seahawks.

Arne never met a person he couldn’t like and was kind and gentle to the very end. He was a member of First Assembly of God Church, Washington Pea Growers, Northwest Grain Growers and PGG.

Arne served on many boards and three at one time for a while: First Assembly of God board, Northwest College Board of Directors and the National Board in Springfield, Mo. of which Arne was a founding board member under Randy Barton of Assemblies of God Foundation and the Assemblies of God Financial Solutions. Under his tenure it grew from $25 million to $2.2 billion in assets. Randy Barton was founding CEO and President of this board and was a Walla Walla product and like a son to Arne which he was so proud of along his life’s journey. Arne was given the Distinguished Man of the Year from Northwest University.

He loved driving with his wife to Branson, Mo. And taking trips to Hawaii, the Holy Lands and also cruises with the Ken Gaub ministries. He loved surrounding himself and his family with ministers, evangelists, and missionaries. He loved prime rib dinners at his home. People thought he looked like Billy Graham and he loved that a lot.

Even to the second to the last day of his life he smiled when we called him Billy. Also, he would try and finish the bible verses and songs of praise to the very end. Arne was an amazing man for sure and will be missed by all.

Thank you to all who prayed, called, texted or sent flowers and cards to the family. It meant so much, we feel all the love.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Arne Bertin and Flossie Filan; his stillborn sister, Ruby; and grandson, Clinton Filan. He is survived by his wife, Harriet; daughter, Paula Sue, of Walla Walla; sons, Doug and Darla Filan of Indio, Calif., Ernie and Elaina Filan of Walla Walla; sister, Elsie and George Wood of Puallup, Wash.; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Assembly of God Mustard Seed or Alzheimer’s Foundation through Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, the Christian Aid Center, or Walla Walla Hospice.

The family wants to express special thanks to Parkview staff and all the caretakers that helped with Arne and also to Doctor Wilcox who helped through this difficult time.

Viewing will be held at Herring Groseclose Funeral Home on June 24, 2015 from 2-4 p.m. The private family graveside service will be at Mt. View Cemetery at 11 a.m. on July 3, 2015, and will be followed by a 1 p.m. memorial service of celebration at First Assembly of God Church, 1919 Fern Ave.