1924
Robert
2014
Robert Arnold
January 7, 1924 — March 13, 2014
Irene Christine Arnold, March 5, 1927 – October 9, 2014
Robert Joe Arnold, January 7, 1924 – March 13, 2014
Irene (Rustand) and Robert Arnold passed away in 2014 and will be interned in Hereford Cemetery, Pioneer Cemetery #5 in Grant County, on August 8, 2015 at 10:00 AM, followed by a reception at the Wendell Community Center. They are survived by Gail (Alan) Coburn (Seattle, WA), Joel (Long Beach, CA) and Chad (San Diego, CA) Arnold, six grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.
Irene was born to parents Iver Louis and Ella Florence (Ricks) Rustand on March 5, 1927, in Elbow Lake, MN and died October 9, 2014. She is survived by brother Ellis Rustand, and was also sister to Ronald, Hanford and Joyce. Irene was raised in the Fergus Falls area and graduated from high school there in 1945. During high school she enjoyed shooting rifles. Her early jobs included working at Norby's department store, in a restaurant and as a manicurist. After high school, she attended airline teletype school in Minneapolis and then worked for Eastern Airlines in Miami, and later as a telephone switchboard operator in Texas. She met Bob while working at Hamilton Air Force base near San Francisco. Irene was very creative and always had lots of energy which she used for community service. For example, in New Jersey she was a high level Girl Scout regional director, receiving the Girl Scout equivalent of an Oscar, and in Cameron Park was known as a "mover and shaker." This included airstrip maintenance and leading the establishment of the Cameron Park Community Center. Irene was a member of the Aging Commission in Placerville and a faithful member of Light of the Hills Lutheran Church in Cameron Park. She was a strong believer of Christian principles and tried to live those principals every day. Irene "Walked the Talk" her whole life and was known for her boldness and candor and her concern for others.
Robert was born to parents, Jimmie Roland and Ara Patience (Gassaway) Arnold, on January 7, 1924, in the farmhouse his grandfather built a few miles west of Gracemont, OK and died March 13, 2014. Robert is survived by two sisters in Oregon, Bertha McKoen and Jimmye Gonzales and was also brother to Eddy and Ernie Arnold. He delivered newspapers during high school with a friend. Every Sunday morning after delivery they bought a pecan pie from the local bakery and each ate half. He tinkered with amateur radio building and bought the first radio for his family. Right after high school Bob joined his older brother Eddie, in CA and went to work for Douglas Aircraft. Six month later, on January 4, 1943, he was drafted and fortunate to be accepted in the Army Aviation Program. He graduated in class 43K on December 5, 1943, as a 2nd Lt. at Craig Field in Selma, AL. He was assigned an AT-6 instructor pilot and six weeks later volunteered for B-17. He became copilot of a crew who flew a new B-17 to England in September 1944. They were part of the 390th Bomb Group. He flew 20 missions over Europe as copilot and 10 missions as the formation control officer in the lead B-17 of 36 B-17s. This placed him in the tail gunner's lead position, constantly informing the commander in his copilot's seat of the plane position. His first mission was September 25, 1944, and last one was March 30, 1945. On December 24, 1944, they had two left engines shot out over the Battle of the Bulge, forcing them to leave the formation. They were thankful not to encounter any enemy fighters. They landed safely just behind friendly lines at Reims, France. Five days later, their crew was flown back to England in a C-47. After the war Bob was in the ferry command and flew 800 hours delivering AT-6s all over the USA to Air Reserve ad Air National Guard units. He flew 9 B-17s from Dalhart, Texas, to the aircraft graveyard in Kingman, Arizona.
After meeting through a bowling team, Bob and Irene were married in Reno and celebrated 65 years of marriage on February 22, 2014. They were passionately devoted to one another and lived each day to the fullest. While in the Air Force, they lived in Georgia, Alaska, Europe, Utah, California, and New Jersey. After 20 years, Bob retired as a Major and the family then settled in Whittier, CA which became the springboard for more family adventures including, water skiing on the Colorado River, camping, and dune bugging in the desert. After their youngest left home, they sold their house and traveled living in a trailer which also housed a dune buggy, spending several years visiting friends throughout the US and Canada. They then settled in Cameron Park, CA, with the Cessna 150 airplane bought from Irene's cousin in Minnesota and later traded for a Grumman Cheetah. They flew throughout the US, including Alaska and to Mexico, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. They participated in search and rescue with the El Dorado County Sheriff's Air Rescue Squadron and were leaders in the American Yankee Association. Bob quit flying in 2010 for health reasons with 5, 000 hours flying out of Cameron Park and Irene continued to be active in the local community until her death. We will miss these two wonderful people.
The Glende-Nilson Funeral Home of Fergus Falls is handling the arrangements.
Condolences: GlendeNilson.com
Robert Joe Arnold, January 7, 1924 – March 13, 2014
Irene (Rustand) and Robert Arnold passed away in 2014 and will be interned in Hereford Cemetery, Pioneer Cemetery #5 in Grant County, on August 8, 2015 at 10:00 AM, followed by a reception at the Wendell Community Center. They are survived by Gail (Alan) Coburn (Seattle, WA), Joel (Long Beach, CA) and Chad (San Diego, CA) Arnold, six grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.
Irene was born to parents Iver Louis and Ella Florence (Ricks) Rustand on March 5, 1927, in Elbow Lake, MN and died October 9, 2014. She is survived by brother Ellis Rustand, and was also sister to Ronald, Hanford and Joyce. Irene was raised in the Fergus Falls area and graduated from high school there in 1945. During high school she enjoyed shooting rifles. Her early jobs included working at Norby's department store, in a restaurant and as a manicurist. After high school, she attended airline teletype school in Minneapolis and then worked for Eastern Airlines in Miami, and later as a telephone switchboard operator in Texas. She met Bob while working at Hamilton Air Force base near San Francisco. Irene was very creative and always had lots of energy which she used for community service. For example, in New Jersey she was a high level Girl Scout regional director, receiving the Girl Scout equivalent of an Oscar, and in Cameron Park was known as a "mover and shaker." This included airstrip maintenance and leading the establishment of the Cameron Park Community Center. Irene was a member of the Aging Commission in Placerville and a faithful member of Light of the Hills Lutheran Church in Cameron Park. She was a strong believer of Christian principles and tried to live those principals every day. Irene "Walked the Talk" her whole life and was known for her boldness and candor and her concern for others.
Robert was born to parents, Jimmie Roland and Ara Patience (Gassaway) Arnold, on January 7, 1924, in the farmhouse his grandfather built a few miles west of Gracemont, OK and died March 13, 2014. Robert is survived by two sisters in Oregon, Bertha McKoen and Jimmye Gonzales and was also brother to Eddy and Ernie Arnold. He delivered newspapers during high school with a friend. Every Sunday morning after delivery they bought a pecan pie from the local bakery and each ate half. He tinkered with amateur radio building and bought the first radio for his family. Right after high school Bob joined his older brother Eddie, in CA and went to work for Douglas Aircraft. Six month later, on January 4, 1943, he was drafted and fortunate to be accepted in the Army Aviation Program. He graduated in class 43K on December 5, 1943, as a 2nd Lt. at Craig Field in Selma, AL. He was assigned an AT-6 instructor pilot and six weeks later volunteered for B-17. He became copilot of a crew who flew a new B-17 to England in September 1944. They were part of the 390th Bomb Group. He flew 20 missions over Europe as copilot and 10 missions as the formation control officer in the lead B-17 of 36 B-17s. This placed him in the tail gunner's lead position, constantly informing the commander in his copilot's seat of the plane position. His first mission was September 25, 1944, and last one was March 30, 1945. On December 24, 1944, they had two left engines shot out over the Battle of the Bulge, forcing them to leave the formation. They were thankful not to encounter any enemy fighters. They landed safely just behind friendly lines at Reims, France. Five days later, their crew was flown back to England in a C-47. After the war Bob was in the ferry command and flew 800 hours delivering AT-6s all over the USA to Air Reserve ad Air National Guard units. He flew 9 B-17s from Dalhart, Texas, to the aircraft graveyard in Kingman, Arizona.
After meeting through a bowling team, Bob and Irene were married in Reno and celebrated 65 years of marriage on February 22, 2014. They were passionately devoted to one another and lived each day to the fullest. While in the Air Force, they lived in Georgia, Alaska, Europe, Utah, California, and New Jersey. After 20 years, Bob retired as a Major and the family then settled in Whittier, CA which became the springboard for more family adventures including, water skiing on the Colorado River, camping, and dune bugging in the desert. After their youngest left home, they sold their house and traveled living in a trailer which also housed a dune buggy, spending several years visiting friends throughout the US and Canada. They then settled in Cameron Park, CA, with the Cessna 150 airplane bought from Irene's cousin in Minnesota and later traded for a Grumman Cheetah. They flew throughout the US, including Alaska and to Mexico, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. They participated in search and rescue with the El Dorado County Sheriff's Air Rescue Squadron and were leaders in the American Yankee Association. Bob quit flying in 2010 for health reasons with 5, 000 hours flying out of Cameron Park and Irene continued to be active in the local community until her death. We will miss these two wonderful people.
The Glende-Nilson Funeral Home of Fergus Falls is handling the arrangements.
Condolences: GlendeNilson.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Robert Arnold, please visit our flower store.