Arden Ishimoto

Etta Arden Ishimoto, 91, passed away on October 29, 2020, in Las Vegas, NV.  Arden was born on May 10, 1929, in Warren, PA to Fred Martin Meyer and Esther Brooks. They resided in Jamestown, NY until Esther later married Raymond Herbert then came west and eventually settled in Southern Utah where Arden graduated from Dixie High School in 1947.  Shortly after graduating she met George at a dance while visiting Moapa Valley with a friend.  They quickly fell in love and wanted to be married but were denied because in those days interracial marriage was forbidden. With broken hearts they went their separate ways.
Arden went to the Grand Canyon to work as a Harvey girl, where she met William Richard Folston who was serving in the U.S. Navy. They married May 25, 1948 and had one daughter, Esther Christine and adopted two boys, Billy and John.  They later divorced and Arden moved to Las Vegas to be close to her parents where she worked for her father at his bicycle shop on Fremont Street. After being back in town only a few months she got word George was still single. Shortly after reconnecting they were married on December 16, 1962. On August 30, 1991, they were sealed for time and all eternity in the Las Vegas temple.
Arden was very involved in the community where she loved volunteering.  She volunteered on the Overton ambulance from 1978-1991and George was right alongside her for 12 of those years. She also volunteered with the Red Cross from 1976-2005. Another favorite of hers was spent volunteering at the Clark County Fair where she manned the hospitality tent for many years. She was also a part of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers and served in many church callings. She loved to take care of people and would often cook and bring meals to others. George and Arden were well known for the Japanese New Year’s parties they would throw yearly. She also enjoyed traveling to visit family and friends as well as many church trips shared with Alene and Lynn Bowler. Arden loved this valley with all of her heart and the people who touched her life through the years. The family would like to thank those who kept in touch with her since leaving the valley, it meant a lot to her to have those connections. We know she is absolutely thrilled to be reunited with her love, her soulmate, George.
Arden is survived by her daughter, Christine Velo and Wayne Harris, her two sons Billy “Ricardo” Folston and John Folston; five grandchildren, Brittney (Michael) Lawrence, Alyssa (Brandon) Henderson, Billy Folston, Noelle (Chris) Plotkin and Kristopher Harris; and six great-grandchildren; and one sister, Martha Hartman.  She is preceded in death by her husband, George Ishimoto and brother John Herbert.
Viewing Services will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2020 at 9:30-10:30 am with funeral service to follow at 11am at the Moapa Valley Mortuary, 5090 N. Moapa Valley Blvd, Logandale, NV 89021. Graveside to follow at the St. Thomas cemetery. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in their guest book at www. moapavalleymortuary.com