Dr. Arnold Roland Ulner

Dr. Arnold Roland Ulner, 94, of Carbondale, IL, died on January 9, 2025. He was born in Moline, IL in 1930 to Judith Carlsson Ulner and Alfred Ulner, who both had emigrated from Sweden. Arnold received his BA in Spanish at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. He received an MA in Spanish with a double minor in French and Mexican History at the University of Nebraska. Prior to returning to completing his PhD in Spanish at Missouri State University, he served in the US Army from 1953-1955. He served as Troop Information and Education Specialist at the Army Hospital at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas following training at Fort Slocum, New York. During his military years, he married his lifelong sweetheart, Dorothy (Logene Burbridge) Ulner, with whom he celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this past summer of 2024.

From 1962 until his retirement in 1997, Arnold was a dedicated professor of Spanish at SIU-Carbondale. His oft daily routine included a 2-mile round-trip walk to campus, with a 25-lap swim at the Olympic pool at the SIU Rec Center mid-day. Arnold was an avid player of handball and volleyball for many years, partnering with fellow professors or students half his age.

Throughout his years at SIU, typical summers would see him teaching Spanish and cultural history to American college students in Jalapa, Mexico. Around retirement time and for many years after, he served as a guide and teacher in Oaxaca, Mexico for Elderhostel's (now Road Scholar) educational travel programs aimed toward older adults. His other travels over the years for research, study, and teaching included trips to Guatemala, Spain, and Sweden.

Arnold spent much of his youth as a regular at the Moline, IL YMCA. In his teens, he would put his fishlike swimming skills to the test during his summer months working as a YMCA camp counselor and lifeguard when he and his buddies would swim across the Mississippi River to Iowa and back. They were also regulars on the river in their canoes following large paddle wheel boats. Their late 1940s adventures also included traveling across the USA on an open flatbed truck, camping at and exploring numerous forests and national parks.

His love of friendly competition would also include an after-meal game of cards with friends and family or an hours long game of chess with any who would dare. But his greatest love of all was for his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with whom he now resides.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Alfred Ulner and Judith (Carlson) Ulner and his siblings, Alfred (Alice), Ethel (John), and Raymond (Earla). He is survived by his wife Dorothy; and children Dian (John) of South Beach, OR; Greg of Yorkville, IL; Jan (Jeff) of Oswego, IL; and Eric (Kathy) of Buncombe, IL; and grandchildren Ariel of Geneva, IL and Lukas of Atlanta, GA; and cousin Ann Marie Hauguth (Hans) of Kalmar, Sweden.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in Arnold's name to either The Voice of the Martyrs thru www.persecution.com or to Worldwide Evangelisation for Christ International (WEC) thru www.wecinternational.org

A visitation will take place at Neighbor Bible Fellowship Church at Trinity Christian School, 1218 West Freeman Street, Carbondale, IL at 1030 a.m., Saturday, January 18, followed by a Celebration of Life at noon.

Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale is assisting the families with arrangements. To leave a story or memory of Arnold, visit www.meredithfh.com