Charles “Chuck” Arnold

He was born in Lexington, IL to Alma and Gayle Arnold. He spent his early years on a farm near Lexington, graduating from Lexington High School in 1940. He entered the University of Illinois, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He participated in the ROTC program and was called to active duty in July of 1943 into the Army Engineer Corps.

While on temporary duty at the U of I in late 1943 He met Viola McCord who was a student. They married in 1944 and were together for 66 years until her death in 2011. His time in service was mostly spent in the Pacific Theatre with final duty in MacArthur’s Headquarters in Tokyo.

He returned to the U of I in 19465 to finish his Engineering Degree in 1947. He and Viola migrated to California in 1948 where he joined Schlumberger Well Surveying Corp. as a field engineer. He resigned in 1956 to join Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co as a financial representative in the Los Angeles area. In 1960, the family moved to Santa Barbara. He represented NML in Santa Barbara until retiring in 2012. He was a charter member of several insurance and financial organizations in Santa Barbara. At various times, he was a volunteer with the American Cancer Society, Montecito YMCA, and others. He was a member of El Montecito Presbyterian Church for 60 years and a member of Montecito Rotary club for 25 years. He had a love of sports cars and owned many over the years, which he enjoyed restoring, driving and selling.

He is survived by his children, David, Diane, Joan, and Christopher and their spouses, his grandchildren Nicole and Zachary, as well as, from his later years, his best friend Joy.

At his request, there will be no memorial service. His ashes are at sea; send a hello, when you walk the beach.