Arthur A. Neu

Arthur “Art” Alan Neu, age 81, of Carroll, Iowa passed away Friday, January 2, 2015 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa from complications related to pneumonia. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at the Carroll Recreation Center Auditorium. Art’s sons, Eric and Towle Neu will preside. Music for the service will be by All Strings Attached. Eulogies will be given by Michael Gartner, the Honorable Ronald Schechtman and Douglas Burns. Friends may call at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll after 4:00 P.M. on Friday, January 16, 2015 where there will be a Masonic prayer service held at 7:30 P.M. . Casket bearers George Wittgraf, Ralph Brown, David Charles, Gary Riedmann, Mike Acimovic, Dick Herstein, and Douglas Burns. Honorary casket bearers will be Claus Bunz, Jim Knott, Gary Thomas, C.J. Niles, Mary Baumhover, and Dr. Jim McGill. Burial will be in the Carroll City Cemetery with military honors conducted by the Carroll American Legion. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established in Art’s name and memorials may be left at the funeral home or at the service. Born February 9, 1933, in Carroll, Iowa, he was the son of Arthur N. and Martha M. (Frandsen) Neu. He attended Carroll Public Schools until 1949, when he transferred to Wentworth Military Academy, where he graduated in 1951. Art received a B.A. in Business Administration from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in 1955. He obtained his J.D. in 1958 from the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, Illinois and his LL.M. in taxation in 1961 from Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C. He spent three and a half years with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corp. in Washington, D.C. He returned to Carroll after the death of his father in 1960. In 2010, he received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Iowa for distinguished service for exceptional contributions for advancing research and educational opportunities at the University. He began practicing law in Carroll in 1962 in partnership with G. Arthur Minnich. G. Arthur’s son, Jeffrey R. Minnich, joined the firm in 1979 with Frank J. Comito entering the firm in the 1980s. Art’s eldest son, Arthur E. “Eric” Neu, joined in 1994 adding a new level of excellence, which could have only been surpassed had his youngest son, Towle Neu, joined the firm. In 2013, Gina Badding joined the law practice. Art practiced law in his office until the day he was admitted to the hospital. Art met his wife, Naomi Bedwell, in Falls City, Nebraska, and they were married in 1964 at the Episcopal Church in Falls City. Art served as state Senator from 1967 to 1973 and as Lt. Governor of the State of Iowa from 1973 to 1979. Since then, he has served as Governor of the Great State of Iowa. Wait. That didn’t actually happen, although he spent the rest of his life listening to people tell him he should have run for the office. He did, however, serve as City Attorney of City of Carroll from 1978 to 1982 and Mayor from 1982 to 1985, during which he threw himself on the proverbial sword due to the location of the Carroll DMACC campus, a decision that he never regretted and that epitomized his belief that representatives were elected to lead. Art loved spending time with his family and most recently his amazing, brilliant, and extremely good-looking grandkids, who take after their fathers. (Even those from Minnesota) To his grandkids, he was lovingly known as “Papa”. He was fond of saying that grandkids are much better than your own offspring because you can enjoy them – and then they go home. As everyone well knows by now, Art was passionate about civic service. This zeal led to his time in public office and service to many different people and organizations. For instance, in his legal practice, Art never asked for a retainer or pre-payment from a client regardless of the legal issue or ability to pay. Art treated the paying and non-paying clients exactly the same and did everything within his power to accomplish their goals. He was a surrogate father or son to many people from Carroll who lacked that person in their lives. Art served on the Iowa Board of Regents, Iowa Board of Corrections, Iowa Public Radio Board, Iowa Legal Aid Board, St. Anthony Regional Hospital Board, Carroll Area Development Corporation, New Hope Village Board, Advisory Board to the Culver Foundation, and Iowa Supreme Court Budget Committee. He was also an active Rotarian and belonged to the Mason Signet Lodge No. 264. Art was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Carroll. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Carroll Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award, University of Northern Iowa Leadership Award, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Iowa, and Father of the Century Award from his children. Apologies if any entity was omitted as this occurred only because Art never maintained a list. Art was obsessed with traveling to both new and familiar places. He looked forward each year to spending several weeks at the family cabin in Eldora, Colorado. From Cape Town to Bejing, he and Nomie traveled the world: countries throughout Africa and Europe, Russia, China, Mexico – and every county in Iowa. This spring, he and Nomie had planned to see France by river cruise with some close friends. (Nomie plans to have their favorite son Towle accompany her on the trip now that Art is unavailable.) Beyond family, politics and travel, Art had many passions. As an amateur historian, he voraciously consumed nonfiction books, as well as fiction. He was a skilled photographer and an avid runner. His prowess on the Ping-Pong table was unmatched. When it came to golf, however, he harbored a deep suspicion of the “sport” and those who play it. (This suspicion likely grew from the plethora of golf balls that strayed into his front yard from the neighboring golf course.) In the 1980s, he enjoyed taming his daughter Mara’s horses, or “wild beasts” as he referred to them. He was an aspiring produce farmer, growing apples, pears, tomatoes, rhubarb, more apples, raspberries, strawberries, grapes, and even more apples in his backyard. From Vivaldi to Puccini, he was a lover of classical music and would often drag his unappreciative kids to the opera in Omaha and Indianola. He also loved James Bond movies, preferably those with Sean Connery (Those with Roger Moore simply did not count). Art did not have any particular desire to spend winters in Arizona or Florida; instead he always looked forward to the change of seasons. He was a connoisseur of red wine and vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup. Art was a loyal and fervent supporter of Northwestern University. He avidly enjoyed NU ‘Cats football even considering the seven hour drive required to use his season tickets. The last year of his life brought much joy to him and his family: they celebrated his and Nomie’s 50th wedding anniversary; they took several family vacations together; he spent time with his brother, Charles Neu, and his cousin, Jeff Kudsk; and spent his last Thanksgiving surrounded by family and their love. Art lived an exceptionally long, fulfilling and, most of all, happy life. His family will miss him more than words could ever describe. Art is survived by his wife Naomi Neu of Carroll; son Eric Neu and his wife Lois of Carroll; daughter Mara Neu of Anoka, Minnesota; son Towle H. Neu and his wife Cassie of Minneapolis, Minnesota; four grandchildren: Arthur Maxwell “Max” Neu and Lincoln Charles Neu of Carroll, and Lucas Towle Neu and Katherine “Katie” Naomi Neu of Minneapolis; one brother Charles E. Neu and his wife Sabina of Miami, Florida; one brother-in-law: Bill Bedwell of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews. Art was preceded in death by his parents and sisters-in-law, Ann Wagner and Linda Bedwell.