William “Bill” Harvey Arnold passed away January 7, 2018.

Bill was born in Henryetta, Oklahoma October 2, 1937.   He has lived in Deer Park Washington for 30 years.

He is survived by his wife Jacqueline and his five children.  Theresa(Tom) Fitzgerald, Michael (Teresa) Arnold, Leslie (Dan) Stansbury, Lisa (Shane) McCorry, and Darci Lord.  He also leaves a brother, Robert “Bob” Arnold, two stepchildren; Kristin(John) Puletasi and Brad (Erin)Henry, and an incredible number of grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews as well as his constant companion, Wilson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 44 years Pat and his eldest son David.

Bill was a Naval Aviator, Airline Transport Pilot and private pilot for over 55 years.  He flew as a copilot and flight engineer for Northwest, and as a captain for AirCal and American Airlines.  He truly loved flying.  He was instrumental in enacting change to the federal regulation prohibiting people with diabetes from obtaining a pilot’s license.  He fervently believed there was a solution to every problem and that it was our obligation and responsibility to find the answer.

He sang as a member of the Spokane Symphony Chorale for many years and enjoyed that area of his life immensely.

Believing that dogs were much more intelligent than people a lot of the time, he worked with his standard poodles to be well trained Delta Society Therapy dogs.  He and his dogs spent countless hours working with patients at Shriners, Sacred Heart Hospital and St. Lukes Rehabilitation Institute. 

He hated cucumbers and ineptitude, not necessarily in that order.

Bill was not much for putting his philosophy of life in a small box but in his later years this quote by Carl Sandburg sat on his desk:

“Time is the coin of your life.  It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent.  Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.”

A memorial service is planned for Saturday February 17th 2:00pm at the Deer Park Golf Course Event Center.   

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