Dorothy Patricia Arnold

On September 29, 2025, Dorothy P. Arnold passed away at the age of 96.

Dorothy was born in Boise, Idaho to James Edric and Bessie Shook Pullen. She attended Boise High School, where she lettered in G.A.A. (Girls' Athletic Association). She then graduated from Boise Jr. College, which later became Boise State. It was here that she learned to ski. She was taught by some classmates, who had returned from World War II after having served in the U.S. Army Ski Troops. She couldn't have had better coaches. She was once mentioned in the Boise newspaper after a day of practicing: "Dorothy Pullen has the stick-to-it-iveness it takes to make a skiier...The more she fell, the madder she got, and the harder she tried."

Dorothy moved to Albuquerque after graduation and worked for the City of Albuquerque and then later for Sandia Laboratory. She worked in a department with mathematicians, which years later amused her daughter, as Dorothy did not enjoy math. But she did enjoy meeting a certain mathematician named Phil Arnold, whom she soon married. Phil and Dorothy were true partners in everything and enjoyed their life together whether traveling, camping or working in the yard.

Dorothy enjoyed gardening (she transplanted and moved trees and shrubs around like others rearranged furniture indoors), painting and drawing, geneaology and taking various classes at UNM. She loved all dogs. She disliked cooking.

Dorothy was preceeded in death by her husband Phil and missed him every day. She was also preceded in death by her parents and by her siblings, Jack Pullen, Shirley Kellogg and James Pullen.

She is survived by her daughter Nancy and by her beloved dog Ori. She also is survived by many nieces and nephews, including two special nieces who were so good to her: Cinda Embree and Donna Smith. Dorothy also was survived by good family friends, including her "other" daughters Julie Brown and Laurel Shelton, and her "adopted" grandson and great granddaughter, Shawn and Maddie Ambrose. Thank you all for the chocolate candy, the breakfast burritos, the shortbread cookies, the milkshakes and your love.