East Peoria, IL - Arthur J. Warsaw, 83, of 115 Notre Dame Ave. died at 2:45 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, 2002, at his residence after a brief illness.

Born Aug. 1, 1918, in Anchor to William and Lena Kalmbrunn Warsaw, he married Marie Koss Potter on Nov. 28, 1982, in East Peoria. She survives.

Also surviving are three sons, Aaron (and Becky) of Colfax, Steven of Rantoul and Arthur ''Daniel'' of Peoria; two stepsons, James (and Darlene) Potter and Jerry (and Sue) Potter, both of Los Alamos, N.M.; one daughter, Julie Warsaw of Phoenix; two stepdaughters, Cheryl (and Bruce) Wiemer of East Peoria and Pamela Potter of New Haven, Conn.; four grandchildren; 13 step grandchildren; six step great-grandchildren; one brother, Howard of Minier; and three sisters, Edna Bachtold of Silbey, Esther (and Walter) Winterland of Fairbury and Marjorie (and Bill) Schurr of Bloomington.

Four brothers and one sister preceded him in death.

He was a World War II Air Force veteran and was a member of the National Guard. He was a member of Davis Kerber American Legion Post 653 in Colfax.

He completed the tool and die apprenticeship program at Caterpillar Inc. and became a line supervisor in East Peoria.

He had owned and operated the International Harvester dealership in Minier.

He invented and patented parts for farm machinery, including the nine-speed transmission gear kit. During his lifetime, he produced 13 commercial patents still in production today.

He founded and operated M&W Gear Co. in Anchor.

In 1957, he founded A&W Tractor Products in Colfax, which became AW Dynamometer Inc.

He was a member of ''Who's Who in U.S. Executives.''

He was a member of the Quadrant Club Ball Room Dancing in Peoria and the Happy Hackers Peoria Senior Tennis Group.

He won a gold medal in the 1998 Senior Olympics in doubles tennis.

He was a member of First United Methodist Church in East Peoria.

Burial will be in Fondulac Cemetery.

January 20, 2002 | Peoria Journal Star, The (IL)