Shirley Arnold Obituary
Shirley Ann Arnold, age 77 of Dayton, passed away at Small Town Senior Living at Deer Ridge on Friday, February 13, 2026. She was born in Rockwood on May 4, 1948, the daughter of the late T.A. and Lozenia (Tollett) Swafford. She was also preceded in death by her first husband, Gus Kennedy; her second husband, Rev. Donald Ray Arnold; and her siblings, Ted Swafford, Mable (Luther Ray) Pendergrass, Wanda Kennedy Travis, Edith (Harris) Green, D.P. Kennedy, Helen Lindsey, Franky Dowden, Thelma Shelton, Walter Arnold, and Nancy Brady.
Shirley lived in Pikeville and Dayton throughout her life. She graduated from Bledsoe County High School and retired as a factory worker from IEC (formerly Oyster). She enjoyed going to yard sales, going to camp meeting with her friends, spending time with her grandkids, and being with family. She was a life-long member of North Dayton Church of God and served alongside her husband as he pastored churches in the area.
Shirley is survived by her children, Sheila Scott and Del Kennedy, both of Dayton, Missy (Stacey) Smith of Ooltewah, and Scott Arnold of Dayton; her grandchildren, Austin Smith, Bailey Andreson, Kayla Smith, Hunter Kennedy, Becca (Peter) Geenen, Andrew Smith, Isabella Scott, and Marcus Corbin; her great-grandchildren, Annalise Geenen and Liliana Geenen; her sisters, Linda Long of Dunlap, Irene Swafford of Crossville, and Kathy Childs of Crossville; and her dear friends, Barbara Brady, Sue Guthie York, Langston Duncan, and Judy McMillon.
Funeral services for Shirley will be in the funeral home chapel on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. with Rev. Leroy Smith and Rev. Stacey Smith officiating. She will be laid to rest next to her husband at Rhea Memory Gardens in Dayton after the service.
Please share your memories and photos of Shirley on her online guest register at www.vanderwallfh.com.
The family is being cared for by Vanderwall Funeral Home in Dayton, Tennessee, where they will receive friends on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. until the time of the service.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
164 Maple St., Dayton, TN 37321
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