Joan LaVerne Arnold

Joan LaVerne Skinner Arnold of Kyle, TX passed away on January 30, 2026. Joan was born on March 28, 1940, in Fort Worth, TX to O.B. "Jack" and Georgia Mae Skinner. Joan's siblings were Omer, Alita Mae, Jack, Jr., and Billy Tom, who have all pre-deceased her.

Joan was raised and schooled in the Seminary Hill/Rosemont section of Fort Worth. As a teenager, she was very active in the local music scene, where she and her friend Billy would go to the local downtown radio station after school to perform songs on-air. While Joan sang country and gospel songs, Billy harmonized and accompanied her on his guitar. Growing up in the 1950's, Joan enjoyed going to dances, carhops, and wearing the fashions of the time.

In 1955 Joan was introduced to Robert Mack Arnold through a date arranged by their mothers, who had struck up a friendship after meeting at a musical event. Joan and Mack were married on December 27, 1957, while he was serving in the Air Force at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, WA. They had three daughters: Robin, Rhonda and Randi. Joan was a 100% hand's-on homemaker in their various residences around Texas and southern Louisiana.

In the fall of 1971, the family moved to Tripoli, Libya, North Africa after Mack accepted a job with Oasis Oil Company to work on the oil pipeline as an Instrumentation Engineer. This strange and new lifestyle created a very close-knit bond between the family as they learned the ways of living overseas and adjusting to Mack's schedule while he was away working in the Sahara Desert for two weeks or so at a time. Joan had to become a jack-of-all-trades: helping with homework, going to all of her daughters' extracurricular activities, being involved in their school programs, and learning to fix things around the house. Yet, she was known to always keep the family intact as a cohesive unit. During the eight years that the family resided in Tripoli, Joan held positions in the Gourmet, Garden, Archaeology, and Arts and Crafts clubs. Joan was leader and director of the Girl Scouts and Brownie Troops of Foreign Soil, reporting troop activities to the International Scout Office in New York. Additionally, Joan held the position of President of the Oil Companies Wives Club, Chairperson of Planning Committee for the annual school fundraisers, and was publisher of the community's monthly newsletter. Her daughters emphasize that Joan appeared to do it all in stride without ever losing her sense of humor or positivity.

In mid-1979, Mack moved his family to San Antonio, TX while he continued to work for Oasis Oil. He commuted back and forth internationally in six-week periods until the end of 1985. Still, Joan continued to steadfastly "hold down the fort," running a household while her youngest daughter, Randi, was completing high school and managing to also be a doting grandmother to her first grandchild, Robin's son, Rob. Her middle daughter, Rhonda, was living in Walnut Creek, California when she gave birth to her daughter Jackie, and Joan was present for Rhonda when that event took place for as long as Rhonda needed. Joan had the knack of always being hand's-on for whomever needed her whenever they needed her, and always with so much dedication and love.

Joan and Mack relocated to Houston, TX in 1991 when Mack took a job as an Engineer with Solar Turbines (a subsidiary of Caterpillar). Joan decided to take on a full-time job with Sheltering Arms Day Center, which was a day center for people with Alzheimer's or dementia. Joan was hired as Activity Assistant and ultimately became Coordinator of Day Center - Central in a management role. Joan obtained her certification as an Activity Director and was an Active Member of the National Association of Activity Professionals. Additionally, Joan obtained a Texas Basic Certificate in Gerontology in Physical Health and Aging and Social Environment and Aging. She was a member of the Houston Gerontological Society, Houston Area Volunteers Administrators, and Sigma Phi Omega. In May 1997 Joan received the Dean's Award at Houston Baptist University - College of Nursing. She always performed her role with compassion, enthusiasm and dedication. Joan was a dynamic, ever-present force at Sheltering Arms Day Center, and gained many friends among its regular patients.

Joan and Mack both finally retired from their respective careers on the same day - September 30, 2010 - and eventually moved from Houston to Kyle, TX for a quieter way of life. Mack passed away in Kyle on October 3, 2021. Their marriage lasted 64 years.

Joan was devoted to her four grandchildren and made sure to spend as much time with each of them as much as possible. She never lost her love for storytelling and planning fun trips with them. Although Joan experienced mobility issues later in her life, that did not prevent her from spending time with her three great-grandchildren, Cheyenne, Tyler and Zoey, who live in Houston. It was such a joy for Joan to see them whenever they came to Kyle on their visits. Joan never lost her humor and exuberance, which always amused her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Joan is survived by her three daughters - Robin Massey of Fort Worth, TX, Rhonda Tidwell of Lago Vista, TX, and Randi Mumma of Kyle, TX; their husbands Herman, Rob and Andy, respectively; grandchildren Rob Harwood, Jaclyn "Jackie" Bollenberg, Sean Mumma (wife is Stevi Mumma), and Dylan Mumma; and great-grandchildren Cheyenne, Tyler and Zoey Mumma (children of Sean and Stevi Mumma).

Joan is also survived by many nephews and nieces who she greatly cherished. Whenever it was possible, she would welcome their visits to her home with much anticipation and joy.

The family would like to express their most heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Chaplain Jim Gullette and the staff of Aspen Hospice and Palliative Care for their care and attention in caring for Joan during her final days.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to either of the following charities:

Tunnel to Towers

American Diabetes Foundation

St. Jude's Children's Research Center