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Arnett, Roger P.
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Rev. and Mrs. Roger Arnett
Honored at Autograph Party
For New Book, "Handicap Race"
The Belleville First Church honored
two of its members October 15. The occasion was a "Salute to Rev. and Mrs.
Roger Arnett and the Handicapped
Ministry."
Over 100 copies of the book, " Handicap Race," a story of the lives of Rev.
and Mrs. Arnett, written by Mrs. Dorothy Clarke Wilson and published by
McGraw and Hill Publishing Co., were
autographed by the honorees and the
author at a reception following the
morning worship service.
Many handicapped on crutches and in
wheel chairs and most of the principals
in the book of family a nd friends were
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Rev. and Mrs. Roger Arnett, left, and
Mrs. Dorothy C. \Vilson, center, author
of a new book, "Handicap Race," a story
of the Arnetts' lives, autographed copies
of the book at a reception in Belleville
Firs t Church. Rev. Allen B. Rice II,
right, is the pastor.
present at the morning worship service
which was followed by a coffee hour.
The author paid high tribute to the
warmth, response and depth of love
shown this courageous couple by their
home church. Mrs. Wils on said, "Seldom is such a spirit present a t an openin g autograph party." A special group
of ushers, headed by Darrell Raymond,
Jr., handled the parking of the unusually large crowd.
Roger Arnett Remembered:
Pioneer in Handicap Ministry
The inspiring li fe of the late ~ev. Ro!*f
Arnett was the theme of the Sunday mormng
worship service at the Belleville First United
Methodist C hurch on October 10. This
service honored Rev. Arnett and his wife
La Verna. Rev . Arnett , himself a paraplegic,
was the pioneer in the ministry to the
handicapped and infirm elderly. He was
appointed to the President's Committee on
Employment of the PhysicaJly Handicapped
in 1949. He became national vice-president
of A.F.P .H . and then became minister to the
handicapped of the Ann Arbor District.
Rev. Arnett served in this ministry with the
help of his wife, La Verna until 1972 when he
was succeeded by Edwin Hoff. Hoff still
serves in the handicapped ministry with the
help of his wife, Mary. Rev. Arnell died in
1973 .
The service honoring the Arnetts was
conducted by the Belleville United Methodist
Pastor, Rev. George Spencer. It featured a
film, "The Visit," about Rev. Arnett's work
with the handicapped in convalescent homes.
The theme of this movie was " Building
Bridges." Also included were some of Rev.
Arnett's favorite music, a talk, "Roger
Arnett Days" by lay speaker Merle Touse
and a tribute to Roger by Hoff. Hoff read a
tribute written by Dorothy C larke Wilson,
the Arnett's biographer, who could not be
present. Hoff showed some slides of the
presentation of Mrs. Wilson's book, "Handicap Race," about the Arnetts at the
Belleville United Methodist Church in 1967 .
The members of the Arnett fa mily beside
REV. ROGER PAUL ARNETI, 65, of Bel·
leVil le died Au gus t 23 in Beye r Memorial
Hospital, Yps ilanti. He was born May 1, 1908,
in Sumner, th e so n of james and Maude
Wood Arne tt. Mr. Arnett and hi s wife, the
former LaVerna Bowen, were both crippled
early in life - he in an auto accident ; she
as a res ult of polio. A one-ti me track s tar, Mr.
'1/!J/7.3
Rev. Roger
P. Arnett
Rev. Roger Arnett
La Verna who were present at the service were
a daughter in law, Valerie Arnett, a grandson
and his family, Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Barnard, Jenyl and Brad, another grandson,
Mr. and Mrs. James Arnett and Tommy and
Elizabeth, and a granddaughter, LaVerna
Arnett.
The church was decorated with gladiolas,
honoring Rev. Arnett's years in the gladiola
growing business . AA_ocial ho,ur was held
after the service.
U/ / .:L?/ F.:L
Arn e tt graduated from w hat is now Eastern
Michigan University a nd built a s uccessful
business . Mrs. Arnett became a high school
teacher o f mathematics and commerci al sub·
jects. She s urvives as do thr ee adopted
children, Richard of Bellevill e, Ronald in the
U.S. Navy, and Mrs. Fay Ann Stanis of Mi lan.
Also survivi ng are seven gra ndchildre n; one
sister, Mrs. Viv ian Byer of Owosso ; and a
brother, Irvin g Arnett of Ovid. Mr. Arnett
se rve d firs t as th e vice-president of the
Ame ri can Federation of the Physically Hand·
icapped and in association with The Methodist Church, became a ministe r fo r the physi·
ca lly ha ndicapped after hi s ordinat ion as a
Loca l Elder. The sto ry of the Arnetts' unusual
ministry is told in a book, Handicap Race, by
Dorothy Wilson and published by McG raw
and Hill Publishing Co. As members of the
_Belleville Unit ed~e thodi s t Church, th ey
were honored Octooer 15, 1967 , fo llowin g
the morning worship ho ur with a "Sal ute to
the Arne tts" reception when co pies of th e
book were a utogra ph ed . Officiating at the
fun e ral se rvice held in the churc h August 26
were Rev. Joy Arthur, Rev. Albert Hartoog ,
Rev. ]. Charles Dibley and Mr. Edwin Hoff.
In terment was in the Hillcrest Memo rial Gardens, Owosso, on August 27. Me morial co ntributions may be made to the Handicapped
Ministry.
LaVERNA B. ARNETT died Mar. 25 at
the Chelsea United Methodist Retirement
Home. She was born on Aug. 12, 1905,
in lthica; Mich. On Feb. 23, 1928, she married Roger P. Arnett in Owosso. In 1957
Roger Arnett entered the ministry and '
became 'the assistant minister and the
Glenwood Methodist Churcl;l in Wyandotte. ReV) Arnett···preceded· LaVema• lli
death on Aug . 23, 1973. SuKtil1ing are two
sons, Ronald N. Arnett of Ludington and
. Richard W. Arnett of Belleville; one daugh-··
ter, Faye A. Stanis of Milan; two
daughters-in-law, Val Arnett of Whitmore
Lake and Bertha Arnett of Ludington ;
seven grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren. Funeral services were held
Mar. 27, at the Chelsea UM Retirement
Home Chapel with the Rev. James Simmons, chaplain, officia.ting. 7"..?..)'1/!f "/
Wilson: Dorothy Clark
Handi9ap Race
The Biography of Roger Arnette
New Yorks McGrat-<-Hill Co., 1967
Arnett, Roger P.