Longtime school employee honored with road naming
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

JACKSON - A road on the campus of Jackson Memorial High School has a new name.

Tinkers Way has been named in honor of Stanley Tinker VanArsdale, head custodian, who worked in the Jackson School District for more than 44 years.

VanArsdale died on Dec. 23 at the age of 77. He was born in the Cassville section of Jackson and lived there his entire life.

A sign bearing the name Tinkers Way was donated by VanArsdale's family at the June 26 meeting of the Jackson Board of Education. It was the idea of his son-in-law Andy Stein and was made available by Dave New-hardt of Apple-hardt Builders, a long-time friend of VanArsdale.

A dedication ceremony for the road was expected to be held today.

VanArsdale served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and received several medals of honor. He was wounded in combat and received a Purple Heart.

While serving in the Army he met his future wife, Kimiko. They returned to her hometown of Kyoto, Japan, and were married on March 17, 1952. The VanArsdales returned to the United States and settled in Cassville. There they had two children, Stanley Jr. and Kimiko. Today there are two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

VanArsdale had a love for the outdoors. He enjoyed the trotters at Freehold Raceway, the Dodgers baseball team and Ford trucks and autos. But most of all he loved to go "junking," picking up old lawn mowers and repairing them back to running condition.

VanArsdale was well known throughout the Jackson School District.

"He truly adored the kids and had pride in his job," said his daughter, Kimiko Stein. "There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for the kids."

VanArsdale enjoyed his work so much that he had accumulated more than 400 sick days and vacation days when he retired.

"He rarely took any time off," his daughter said.

VanArsdale suffered a stroke in October 2005 which left him unable to speak or to care for himself. After months in a hospital and rehabilitation facilities he came to live with his daughter and son-in-law.

An addition to the Steins' home was constructed by Newhardt, who knew VanArsdale as a child in the Jackson schools and throughout the years.

"Even though Dad couldn't speak there were ways to communicate with him," his daughter said. "He would enjoy remem-bering all the times he spent at the school."

She said at one point her husband suggested to her father that the district should name a road at the high school after him.

"Dad kind of shrugged his shoulders as if to say, 'Who would name a road after me?' Tink always had his own way of doing things and thus the name Tinkers Way. This would become the road's new name, the road which my dad had been on countless times while working at his job," Stein said.

The family thanked relatives and friends, the Jackson Board of Education, Applehardt Builders and all others who knew VanArsdale and cared about him.

"So many to name," said his daughter.