Daniel Lee Arnold

Louisville - Daniel Lee Arnold, M.D., beloved husband, father, and friend, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 3, at the age of 67, following a courageous battle with metastatic cancer.

Born on May 4, 1958, in Louisville, Dan was the second child of Kenneth "Kenny" Lee Arnold and Vivian Graves Arnold Chaffins. He grew up alongside his brother, Kenneth Steven (Steve), and was a proud graduate of Fern Creek High School and the University of Louisville. He earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine and completed his Family Medicine residency at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Edgewood, Kentucky.

Upon finishing his training, Dan returned to the Louisville area in 1987 to join Family Medical Associates, with offices in Shepherdsville and Mt. Washington. In 2001, he continued his career in private practice at Southend Medical, which later became part of UofL Health. Over the decades, he was known for his compassionate care and dedication to mentoring the next generation of medical professionals, serving as a preceptor for medical students, residents, and nurse practitioner students. Dan retired from active practice in 2023.

Dan's unwavering Christian faith guided his life. His Sunday School class and Men's Bible Study group were central to his spiritual walk and fellowship. Service to others was at the heart of Dan's character. For nearly 20 years, he volunteered as team physician for Bullitt East High School and served as Medical Director for the American Cancer Society's Bullitt County chapter, helping organize the annual Relay for Life celebration. He also provided care as team physician for Holy Cross High School and Louisville Male High School football teams. Deeply involved in his sons' lives, Dan volunteered as a team physician for their sports teams, supporting their academic and athletic pursuits.

In retirement, Dan continued his lifelong commitment to helping others by volunteering as a math and reading tutor with the Cabbage Patch Settlement House and serving with the Fern Creek Highview United Ministries Dare food pantry, uplifting underserved youth and families in the community he loved.

Dan cherished the recognition he received from his alma mater-being named "Mr. Fern Creek" by his classmates and later inducted into the Fern Creek High School Hall of Fame in 2002. Yet, his proudest achievements were his family's. He took immense joy in watching his sons pursue their dreams: Chris, who launched Refresh Wealth, a financial advisory firm, and Andrew, who will continue his father's legacy in family medicine as part of the St. Elizabeth Family Medicine Residency Program in Northern Kentucky following his graduation from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in May 2025.

The role that brought Dan the greatest joy was that of loving husband and father. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Claire Groemling Arnold; sons, Chris (Lainie) and Andrew (Danielle); brother, Steve Arnold (Barbara); and numerous brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held at Christ Church United Methodist, 4614 Brownsboro Road, on Monday, October 13, from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. Burial will take place at a later date, as Dan generously donated his body to the University of Louisville School of Medicine for medical education and research.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that expressions of sympathy or memorial gifts be made to the Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians Foundation or the Fern Creek Highview United Ministries, Inc., continuing Dan's lifelong commitment to education and community service.