Leonard A Arndt spent most of his life, from sometime in the 1920's until around 1973 at the Lincoln State School, previously known as "Institute for Feeble Minded Children", where his younger brother, Russell Burdett Arndt had died in 1926.
Sometime around 1973 due to a Supreme Court decision, those residents living at the facility were to be paid at the same rate as regular employees. As a result, many residents were moved to other facilities. Leonard was sent to Rock Falls Manor in Rock Falls, Whiteside County, Illinois. A notice of birthdays by the facility was published in the Sterling Daily Gazette in their September 6, 1975 edition. Leonard was listed for his birthday on September 8th of that year.
The following year, the Sterling Daily Gazette published a list of birthdays coming up in their September 1, 1976 edition and Leonard was listed once again.
In the November 17, 1975 edition of the Sterling Daily Gazette, Leonard Arndt participated in a Special Olympics Bowling Tournament. Leonard was listed with Division VII from Self-Help Enterprises (SHE).
Less than two years later, the Sterling Daily Gazette published another Special Olympics event, the Illinois State Special Olympics Basketball Tournament, in their April 8, 1977 edition. The Self Help Enterprises from the 'B' division placed 2nd. Leonard's photo appears with his team and he can be found on the far left in the front row. Unfortunately the photo isn't very clear.
Leonard A Arndt eventually passed away on May 21, 2003 in Sterling, Whiteside county, Illinois. His memorial can be found here. Leonard was the son of Linnie (Vallem) and David Andrew Arndt, the grandson of Rachel (Finnestad) and Lewis Vallem and great-grandson of Mari (Iversdatter Nord-Skaar) and Ole (Olson) Finnestad Sr..
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