Richard Arnold

Arnold, Richard (Dick) was born in St. Louis January 14, 1922 and passed away peacefully in St. Charles, MO, March 31, 2015. He was the patriarch of a large and loving family and the best of friends to many in the St. Louis area. For a man who never felt the loving touch of a mother (his own died during his childbirth), he was always able to convey love and a deep sense of caring to his own family and a special companionship to his friends. His fine sense of humor was the lubricant for all his relationships. Dick grew up in St. Louis, was raised mostly by his aunt, his own dad, Simon J. Arnold, and his older brother Buddy in a raucous household full of aunts, uncles and cousins during the Depression. He graduated high school from Soldan High. He was a member of the Greatest Generation, enlisting in the Navy in 1942. He was a pilot receiving his wings in Corpus Christi and was deployed to the south Atlantic area, specifically Brazil- many jokes grew out of the dire conditions he survived in Rio de Janeiro. But he experienced his share of close calls as the pilot of the famous PBY seaplane on patrol over the US convoys. He mustered out after the war into the reserves but was recalled during Korea. He never was deployed to Korea but while on station on the west coast, he was trained as one of the earliest commissioned helicopter pilots. He subsequently made many of his best and longest friends at the officer's club in the old Naval Air Station across from Lambert Field. Dick returned from World War II and enrolled at Washington University where he eventually graduated. Dick's studies were distracted early on after he met Mary Haney at a school function. A whirlwind romance ensued and they were married in 1946. They stayed married until Mary's passing in 2006, nearly 60 years. Dick and Mary made their lives, grew their family and established their roots in Webster Groves and Warson Woods, where one can still hear the thud of their forehand shots at the neighborhood tennis court. After his military service, retiring in 1962 as a Lieutenant Commander, Dick entered the real estate business with Laclede Bond & Mortgage in the heart of Clayton. He stayed in the commercial mortgage banking business his entire career making many friends and enjoying an iconic reputation in a then thriving savings and loan industry. Dick spent his latter years at Fairwinds Senior Residence in St. Charles, where once again his life was enriched by great friends. The family particularly wishes to express its gratitude for the love and care given by Dick's friends there. The center of Dick's life was his family and his many friends. He was happiest when he was around others and was good company. He was something of a raconteur with a long and detailed memory. He was a loving husband, a great dad, attentive grandfather and amazed great grandfather. And no one ever had a better friend. Dick is survived by a large family: his son Scott Arnold and his wife Chris of Atlanta, GA. His grandchildren, Jenny Arnold of New York, John (Jack) and Nicky Arnold of Atlanta, GA and his great grandchildren, Caroline, Parker and Charles (born a week ago), Patrick and his new wife Heather Arnold of New York and Jean (Beanie) Arnold of Calgary, Canada; his daughter Lynn Arnold Raber and her husband John of Denver, CO and his grandchildren Scott and Danielle Raber of Denver, CO and Charles Raber of Denver CO; his son John (Jack) Arnold and his wife Linda of Tampa, FL and his grandchildren Alexandra Arnold and Kevin Arnold, both of Denver, CO.; his nephew Richard Arnold and his wife Lesly of Welaka, FL and his niece Barbara Arnold Alexander and her husband Wayne of San Antonio, TX and their children and spouses. Services: Visitation will be held at Bopp Chapel, 10610 Manchester Road, Kirkwood, MO from 5:00-7:30 pm on Friday, April 3 and burial service for family only on Saturday. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials in his honor be made to National WWII Museum, 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 and online at nationalww2museum.org.