Col. Archibald Vincent "Arch" Arnold, Jr.

http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/14564/

Obituary

Archibald Vincent Arnold, Jr.  Arch Arnold passed away peacefully in his sleep on the evening of 26 August, 2002 at the Arnold Ranch in Kamas, Utah. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in June, 2001. He was born into a career army family at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, 21 December 1922, the son of Archibald Vincent Arnold and Margaret Treat Arnold.It was predestined that Arch would follow the family footsteps to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. After a rat year at Virginia Military Institute, Arch entered West Point in 1942. At West Point his main achievements were succumbing to the blandishments of his wife-to-be, Barbara Balch, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and playing on two of Army's winning national championship teams in 1944 -- football and lacrosse.

Graduating in 1945, he launched his career as an officer in the Field Artillery. His army career was highlighted by troop assignments in Korea, Germany, and the Far East, and by a Masters degree in Psychology at Vanderbilt University. Along the way, Arch and Barbara were blessed with five healthy, non-revolutionary children. These Army brats were the source of many years of happiness and made Barbara and Arch happy grandparents many times over. Arch enjoyed his final assignment as the Senior Advisor to the Utah National Guard where he retired in June 1973 at the rank of Colonel.

After indulging in 28 years of Army life, Barbara and Arch settled in Utah to spend the rest of their years chasing dreams and runaway horses in the High Unita Mountains. They developed a base camp, bought backyard horse and llama stock, invited friends to trail test the venture, and finally secured a permit from the National Forest Service to take guests into nature's wildness . . . Piute Creek Outfitters was born

The money was scarce and so were the dull moments.  After Barbara died in 1989 from her second bout with breast cancer, Arch was fortunate to find, pursue and marry Prudence Schmidt, a US Army Air Corps widow born in Bermuda. Her family of four children and Arch's five brought the family head count to 37 -- a sure prescription for many happy, active years.  

Arch is survived by his wife, Prudence; his brother, Charles Treat Arnold of Lebanon, New Hampshire; his sister, Joan Milligan Hunt of Pinehurst, North Carolina; his three sons, Dewitt W. Arnold of Buffalo, New York; Archibald V. Arnold, III, of Columbus, Georgia; and Joseph T. Arnold of Salt Lake City, Utah; and his two daughters, Barbara Treat Arnold of Carlisle, Massachusetts and Laura B. Arnold of Vernal, Utah, and 19 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2002, at 11 a.m. at the Arnold Ranch in  Kamas, Utah. In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions in Arch's name be made to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, 2291 West Broadway, P.O. Box 8249 Missoula, Montana, 59807 or the Barbara B. Arnold Memorial Scholarship Fund, Westminster College, 1840 South 1300 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84105.

Published in Salt Lake Tribune on Sept. 1, 2002