Obituary for Charles Nicholas (Nick) Arend The World’s Greatest Childhood The life and times of C Nicholas (Nick) Arend We begin this story the same way Nick always began his life’s story with everyone, “I grew up in St Louis, Missouri, where I had ‘the world’s greatest childhood’”. June 7, 1946, was the beginning of Nick’s wonderful journey through a diverse and unique life. This included everything from corporate marketing and advertising positions that involved pinstriped suits, a gold Rolex watch, and driving a Nissan 300ZX to building houses in five cities in Western Colorado that involved flannel shirts, Levi’s, and a pickup truck.
Nick’s journey on this earth ended on June 29, 2018, when he went to spend eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We rejoice in the certainty our faith gives us that we will have a reunion in paradise! Charles N. Arend and Lois M. Arend had two children.
Nick was the youngest and is survived by his sister, Nancy, of St Louis, Missouri, and her daughter, Emily. Nick’s family was one of his life’s treasures; his niece Emily was so close that he often referred to her as a daughter. Nick was proud to tell the story of his father who graduated from Aurora, Missouri, High School in the Great Depression and was raised by a single mother when his father was tragically killed in a car theft.
In Aurora there was a shoe company, Juvenile Shoe Corporation. The President of the shoe company was looking for an Office Boy. He came to Aurora High School asking the principal for an honest, clean cut, hard working young man.
Nick’s father met all the criteria and was hired. Charles Arend stayed at the Juvenile Shoe Corporation for 53 years. First job Office Boy and despite his formal education being only Aurora High School, his final position after 53 years was Chairman of the Board.
Hard work and dedication to purpose clearly ran in the Arend family. Nick loved and became involved in scouting and took it on with enthusiasm. As an entry level Cub Scout, Nick decided that he wanted to be an Eagle Scout.
Hard working Nick accumulated all of the merit badges required for being an Eagle Scout when he was 13. He had to wait six months because the age requirement for being an Eagle Scout was 13 1/2. He also earned the Order of the Arrow award from his fellow scouts.
His first trip to Colorado was to attend the Boy Scouts World Jamboree in Colorado Springs in 1960, which was also attended by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Nick loved Colorado at first sight and little did he know that he would return many years later and make it home. Nick graduated from Kirkwood High School in 1964.
It was during his junior high and high school years that he realized his love for creative writing. He worked on the school newspaper for five years, ultimately being appointed Editor in Chief. Nick graduated from Kansas University (Rock Chalk Jay Hawk through and through).
With God’s help, despite the Viet Nam war and despite being in a four-year ROTC program, Nick was released from military obligation and able to interview for top marketing jobs. Having an undergraduate degree in Marketing and a graduate degree in Marketing & Quantitative Methods, Nick was recruited by the corporate headquarters of General Mills right away and moved to its corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After two years in the Marketing Research Department, they came to his office one day saying, “You are too much of a people person to stay with the geeks”.
They promoted him to Brand Manager in the Mainstream Marketing Department. It was being a Brand Manager and seeing big-time advertising agencies that Nick was enamored with its left-brain analytical combined with right-brain creativity. Sounded like a perfect job.
Six months later, Nick decided to go advertising agency hunting in Chicago. He made cold calls to the three biggest advertising agencies in Chicago and was offered a position on the spot by the largest advertising agency in Chicago, Leo Burnett. Three years later, in the middle of the winter, a head hunter firm called him to recruit him for a higher level advertising position in one of the three biggest advertising agencies in Dallas.
It took Nick about thirty seconds flat to decide to trade The Windy City and Chicago winters for the warm weather in Dallas, Texas. He often told the story about driving south and shedding layer after layer of coats and sweaters the closer he got to Dallas! He worked for Bloom Advertising for three years and attained the level of Vice President.
Nick learned a unique employee motivation approach from Bob Bloom: never bring a problem to him without also bringing your solution. Bloom would bluntly tell his managers, “Either you or your successor will get this done”. A former employee of Bloom moved to Boston and became aware of a senior management position in a smaller agency.
Nick was recruited, moved to Boston, and given the title of Executive Vice President. After 12 months enduring cold winters and no midwesterners, Nick decided to return to Dallas. To his surprise, there was a Senior Vice President position available in the second largest advertising agency in Dallas and he was offered the job.
His final position in Dallas was Executive Vice President of Marketing & Advertising for one of the largest development companies in the United States, Trammell Crow Corporation. After 20 years wearing pinstripe suits, wing tips, a gold Rolex and driving a sports car, Nick decided there might be another life out there. Those of you who know Dallas know that a lot of Texans spend summers in Lake City, Colorado.
In 1990, at age 44, Nick moved to Lake City, Colorado. He had successfully negotiated a foreclosure purchase of a restaurant, lodge and residence from a local bank. He operated that for four years and became an integral part of the Lake City community.
Nick was the Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce Marketing Director as well as Marketing Director for the Southwest Colorado Travel Region. Nick loved Lake City, Lake San Cristobal, and the beautiful Rocky Mountains. He sold The Western Belle, stayed in Hinsdale County and began his next 18-year career designing and building beautiful homes with amazing views in five cities on the Western Slope of Colorado.
In 2001, Nick’s Mom, living in St Louis, developed Alzheimer’s Disease. Nick moved to St Louis, built houses in two states (Missouri and Colorado), joined KUMC and met Pastor Dave Bennett. Upon returning to Colorado, Nick lived in one of the golf course homes he built in Cedaredge.
He became very involved in the Eckert Presbyterian Church, often serving as the liturgist, writing and delivering prayers, and reading scripture. He was also appointed Lay Pastor and frequently asked to write and deliver sermons. His most fond memory was writing and delivering a special message to this packed sanctuary on Christmas Eve at the candlelight service in 2009 in this small rural town in the Colorado mountains.
In December 2010, he met Gayle Berry “in church” when she surprised him by being in the congregation when he was giving the sermon. And though Nick would say that she is the politician and likes to talk, we ALL know that Nick is really the one that did most of the talking! Nick moved back to St Louis in 2017 and immediately rejoined Kirkwood United Methodist Church.
Though his dream was to become a Stephen Minister, volunteer at the church, and devote his retirement years to helping others, that was not to be. His neurologist suggested Nick get some tests done because of muscle tremors that had developed. In March 2017, two different doctors and many tests confirmed a diagnosis of ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, of which there is not yet a known cure.
Nick took on ALS with the same determination and courage that he learned from his father and his years in business. Everything was on the table: traditional medicine, nontraditional medicine, light therapy, faith healing, supplements, diet, prayers, and most importantly his family, friends, and the KUMC family. In December 2017, Nick moved to Colorado to live with Gayle.
Their love grew deeper and stronger as they faced life’s toughest journey together. Each day included morning devotionals and many prayers. Hand in hand, they would drink coffee while watching sunrises through the floor-to-ceiling, east-facing windows of their ninth floor condo that overlooks Denver’s City Park.
He Loved Colorado and his Love brought him back home to St Louis. Today we know that Nick has left this earthly planet. But we also know that he is now happily strolling the golden paths of heaven.
There is a brand new angel looking down on us from above. He is now in the presence of his Creator and Heavenly Father, he has seen Him, watched His love and knows more than ever we can face uncertain times because He lives. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Charles Nicholas (Nick) Arend please visit our Sympathy Store.
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