RICHARD ARIMOTO

RICHARD ARIMOTO
Richard Arimoto died suddenly on October 5, 2022, at age 70 due to throat cancer.
He died peacefully surrounded by family and friends. He was born to Fred and Amy Arimoto in Wilmington, Delaware in 1952 and is survived by sister Shirley Sanderson (Bob), sister-in-law Jane Arimoto, nieces Stephanie Hamel (Paul) and Amy Paylor (Michael), nephews Jordan Arimoto and Cameron Arimoto (Lauren), five grandnieces and three grandnephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Steven. Both of Rich's marriages ended in amicable divorces.
Rich was a scientist. He earned an M.S. at the University of Delaware in biology. His Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut dealt with dredge spoils on the New England coast. Post-doctoral studies at the Graduate School of Oceanography in Rhode Island involved trans-oceanic trace substance transfers. Living in New England offered Rich the opportunity to pursue deep sea and lobster fishing.
At the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Laboratory in New Mexico he studied South Pole aerosol particles. Rich's atmospheric research took him to China, Japan, Russia and even a sheep station in a remote area of New Zealand.
Rich retired in 2002, moving to Placitas, and then Santa Fe. Retirement gave him the opportunity to pursue many additional interests. He always had pets. Rich's parrot was fluent in English, and somehow picked up a few X-rated phrases. His dogs earned tracking titles, and he likened the difficulty of earning them to humans passing the Bar Exam. Rich and his Corgi volunteered for Santa Fe Humane Society Pet Outreach program in which pets visit hospitalized patients.
Rich's own words convey the mission of the program best: ne-np.facebook.com/sfhumanesociety/videos/472604970327932/
He worked as an extra in movies, TV and commercials, appearing several times in Breaking Bad. Rich joined a Taiko drumming group that once performed at the State Capitol for legislators, staff and visitors. The group of drummers even built their own drums. Rich had a lifelong interest in motorcycling, acquiring his first bike at age 16, to his mother's dismay. He owned many bikes over the years and became adept at rebuilding and servicing his bikes. For many years Rich enjoyed trap and skeet shooting, improving to the point where he had recently become an instructor for new shooters.
Rich made many friends in each of the activities that he pursued. When Rich chose to participate in an activity, whatever it was, he was IN 100%. That was the way that Rich approached everything in life, with gusto and enthusiasm. He will be missed by his family and friends.
We wish to acknowledge with gratitude the outstanding and compassionate medical care provided to Rich by Dr. Nathan Boyd, of the University of New Mexico Health system.