Arnold Wilbert Wetsel, 69, one of the founders of the nationally known Wetsel Seed Co., a business consultant, active in community, civic, religious and fraternal circles of Harrisonburg, the Shenandoah Valley and Virginia, died at 12:45 yesterday afternoon in Rockingham Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Wetsel suffered a hip fracture on Sept. 2 and had been a patient at the hospital since then. His condition was considered critical for some time.

In recent years, Mr. Wetsel was engaged as a business consultant with offices in the Ruddle building. He held the post as chairman of the board of the Wetsel Seed Co. but had not been active in its operations for some time.

Mr. Wetsel was active as a vice president of the Shenandoah Valley, Inc. and was always optimistic over the further development of this area of Virginia. He had written many articles on the business progress of the Shenandoah Valley and of its future. He was chairman of a sub-committee of the foreign trade division of the Virginia State Chamber of Commerce and led in the development of plans for an Old Dominion exhibit in the Belgian International Fair.

He had a wide knowledge of the economic conditions of his state and nation and was a keen analyst of the New York Stock Exchange and other financial markets of the United States.

Mr. Wetzel was superintendent of the Harrisonburg Presbyterian Sunday School for a number of years. His work was recognized by his election on two occasions as president of the Sunday school superintendents of the Synod of Virginia. He attended many conferences of his church on the state and national level, in connection with the Sunday school department. He was a former member of the board of deacons of the Harrisonburg church.

He was one of the best known members of the Masonic Lodge and Shrine in the Old Dominion and usually was present when Masonic groups met. He was a member of Acca Temple Shrine of Richmond, a former president of the Staunton Shrine Club. He was one of the organizers of the Valley Shrine Club of Harrisonburg.

He was a member of Rockingham Union Lodge of Masons, a past high priest at the Royal Arch chapter and past commander of Harrisonburg Commandery. He was also a past worthy patron of the Shenandoah Valley chapter, Eastern Star.

He served several terms as chairman of the Rockingham Red Cross Chapter and was a member of the board of directors at the time of his death. He was past commander of Rockingham Post of the American Legion and had served as secretary of the Harrisonburg Rotary Club. Mr. Wetsel was active in support. of the Rockingham Public Library. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club and of the Commonwealth Club of Richmond.

Mr. Wetsel served at Camp Lee during World War I and was an executive of the famed Camp Lee news publication, "The Bayonet." He never lost his interest in writing and wrote on various topics during his later years.

In 1911, Mr. Wetsel, with his late father, D. M. Wetsel and his brother, Earl Wetsel, founded the D. M. Wetsel Seed Co. From its small beginning this company has become one of the major seed houses in the nation with customers in many parts of the world. He served as treasurer and chairman of the board for a number of years.

Mr. Wetsel went to New York City in 1927 and established the Wetzel Market Advisory Services with offices on Wall St. He retuned to Harrisonburg in 1942 and resumed his role as an active citizen of his native area.

He attended Alexander Hamilton Institute and later became an Instructor in that Institution. It was soon thereafter that he opened his business in New York.

He was born in the Port Republic community Nov. 25, 1838, a son of the late Daniel and Lyida Wampler Wetzel. On May 25, 1918, he was united in marriage with Miss Nina G. Brewerton who survives with one daughter, Mrs. Eugene Myers, Croton-on-the-Hudson, N.Y. and three granddaughters, Barbara Myers, Dorothy Myers and Virginia Myers.

He also leaves these brothers and sisters: Earl H Wetsel, D. M. Wetsel, Mrs. Edward Lokey, and Mrs. Alma Glover of Harrisonburg; Mrs. M. L. Lineweaver of Fredericksburg, Pa., Mrs. Clore Fulk of Fulks Run, Biedler J. Wetsel of Rochester, N. Y. and Mrs. J. M. Miller of Palmyra. Pa. Three sisters and one brother 'preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon at two o'clock from the Harrisonburg Presbyterian Church with his pastor, Dr. Albert G. Edwards officiating. Burial will be in Woodbine.

The body now rests at the Lindley Funeral Home where it will remain until 12:30 Sunday when it will be taken to the church. Relatives will meet at the late home, 106 Franklin Sr. Sunday afternoon at 1:40 for a brief service.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the D. F. Wilson Bible Class. The active pallbearers will be D. Warnpler Earman, Major Marc Freeman, Dan C. Stickley, George W Taliaferro, Earl C. Diehl, John Babbage, S. B. Hoover and Dr. Raymond C. Dingledine.

Honorary attendants will be ..........

Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg
Saturday Nov. 30, 1957