Henry Arnold

1937 - 2024

Henry Arnold
06/30/1937 - 01/19/2024
Henry Arnold was born in the family home on Liberty Park Avenue in Menlo Park on June 30, 1937.
He attended Las Lomitas Grammar School and graduated from Menlo-Atherton High School in 1955.
He showed mechanical aptitude from a young age and had an after-school job when he was in high school at an auto repair shop in Menlo Park.
Right after high school graduation, Henry volunteered for the Army and served for two years, mostly in Germany. On his leaves, he visited many places in Germany. He also traveled to Switzerland and other nearby countries.
After his time in the Army, Henry attended San Jose State College for two years.
In 1960, Henry married Julie Harrington. The marriage ended in divorce around 1968.
During the 1960s, Henry took flying lessons at Reid-Hillview airport in Santa Clara County near San Jose and earned a private pilot's license. He did not continue with that hobby because he found he often experienced air sickness.
One of Henry's first jobs was at a blueprint company. However, he spent most of his work life as a printer in San Mateo and San Francisco.
When Henry was in his mid-30s, a co-worker at the printing company who was in his 20s, taught him how to surf. Henry continued to enjoy surfing for the next 30 years. He purchased a home in the outer Richmond area of San Francisco which is close to good surfing.
In 1971, Henry took time off from printing and attended the San Francisco Art Institute until1973, when he earned a degree in Fine Arts. He said that going to art school was the best thing he ever did. He enjoyed oil painting landscapes and portraits of family members.
Next, he took singing lessons through the San Francisco Recreation Department. He then took up karaoke singing. For several years for his birthday party, he hosted fellow singers and family members for a karaoke party. The singing lessons increased Henry's confidence and were another one of the great things Henry accomplished.
Henry was also interested in nature and gardening at his home. He learned about native wildflowers by spending time at the family ranch east of Mt. Hamilton in Santa Clara County, and with his maternal grandparents at the Frances Simes Hastings Natural History Reservation in the Carmel Valley.
In 2018, Henry was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. He chose to stay in his home in San Francisco with the help of caregivers, Joy, Lydia, Harriet, Tatianna, Helen, Jose and others. His girlfriend, Angel visited him at least twice a week until his death.
Henry was predeceased by his parents, Fanny Hastings Arnold and Thomas Church Arnold; his older half-siblings, Thomas Bruce Arnold, Bernice Grimm, Dorothy Arnold, and Mary Mack; sister, Emily Arnold of Petersham, Mass.; and brother, Michael Arnold of Reno, Nev.
He is survived by his sister, Sally Arnold Rench of Palo Alto; brother, Jesse Arnold of San Luis Obispo; long-term, much-loved girlfriend, Angel DeField of San Franciso; and many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life for Henry will be held from 1-5 p.m., on Saturday, June 29, at the Avant, 4041 El Camino Way, Palo Alto, Calif. 94306, where Sally lives in apartment #3006. Memories will be shared in the solarium on the 3rd floor.
Donations in Henry's memory, may be made to the California Native Plant Society, 2707 K. St., Suite 1, Sacramento, Calif. 95816.