Arthur Allen Arnold

Arthur Allen Arnold passed away Sunday, Sept. 3, surrounded by members of his family in Albany, N.Y.

Fue to unforeseen circumstances, the family receiving friends will not be held at Bell Mortuary on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. but will be held instead at his home at 429 Wisconsin Street, in Hinsdale from 5 7 p.m.

Funeral services will be Friday, Sept. 15, at the Hinsdale Lutheran Church at 11 a.m. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. until services start at the Hinsdale Lutheran Church. Burial will follow in Hillview Cemetery and a reception will follow at the American Legion in Hinsdale.

Art was born March 3, 1945, to Maurice and Hattie Arnold, of Hinsdale. He was raised on the home place north of Hinsdale along with his siblings, Johnnie, Richard, Joan, and Eugene. Art attended grades one through eight at the Snake Creek School. Upon graduating Hinsdale High School in 1963, Art attended Northern Montana College in Havre, Mont.

After college, Art put his mechanical skills to use at the Service Station in Hinsdale. It was during this time that he met his wife Carol Hoskamer who was teaching school in Saco, Mont. In April of 1967, Art and Carol were married in her hometown of Great Falls, Mont. Family and friends joined in the ceremony and continued the celebration at a local bar where they were treated to a surprise performance by Charley Pride.

In 1969, Art became an equipment operator and worked road construction throughout the state of Montana. By 1976, Art moved back to Hinsdale full-time with his family to help operate his father's farm. In 1980, Art and his brother Johnnie took over their father's farm/ranch. Art chose to farm the land while his brother Johnnie chose to run cattle on the ranch.

With his belief in community involvement, it was no surprise that Art once again followed in his father's footsteps and ran for County Commissioner of Valley County. Art won two elections (12 years) and served as both member and chairman as a Valley County Commissioner.

Throughout his personal and professional life, Art participated in many community organizations:

Chair and Officer of the Local and County Farmers Union Organization

Volunteer for the Hinsdale Fire Department

Member of the Operating Engineers Local 400

TV District Board

Elks

Montana Association of Counties

Member & Chair of the State and Local Youth Advisory Council for the Department of Family Services

State Council for Job Training Partnership Act

Community Representative for Regional Human Resources Development Council and Council on Aging

Montana Association of Counties

In 1989, his son Jerry made Art a grandfather. His first-born grandchild was Kelcey. A few years later her sister, Tori, was born. Some years later, his daughter Amber gave him three more grandchildren, Ashley, Chase, and James. Chase was Art's first grandson and was given the name Chase Arthur to honor Art.

There were hard years in Art's family with the passing of his wife and the care and passing of his mom. Circumstances led Art to a conversation with his high school sweetheart, Georgia Bowman. This conversation led to a renewed happiness in life for Art. In March of 2013, Art and Georgia married in Saugerties, N.Y. Art's family grew the day he married Georgia. He then had more children and grandchildren to love and enjoy!

In February of 2016 his eldest grandchild Kelcey made Art a great-grandfather! Kelcey and Jake Knaff gave their first-born Art's middle name, once again honoring him, Colt Allen. Art's great-grandson blessings are Colt, Newt and Flint.

Most people who knew Art, would say Art was kind and gentle, smart, funny, and great with kids. If you asked most people what they believed his passions were, they would say farming and his service to his community. If you ask those close to him, what Art's passions were they would tell you "Caterpillar equipment!"

Whether it was blading new roads with a Cat motor grater or Cat dozer or summer fallowing with his Challenger, Art was like a young child on Christmas morning! Any day that he could drive or tinker with a Caterpillar was a great day for Art!

Another passion Art enjoyed was flying. He had nearly achieved his pilot's license when the challenges of adult life steered his attention elsewhere. He loved flying with Daniel Jensen and the Jensen boys in their Cessnas at their airfield in Hinsdale.

Art also loved Model A cars! His latest joy was driving his new Model A in parades with his wife Georgia and his great-grandchildren.

No one enjoyed a good story like Art and no one told a better story than Art! With a cup of coffee in his hand, he would take us back in time with stories of his Father's days or his own days growing up at the Home Place. There were stories of his Grandma making home-made bread and soap in the wood stove, lamb legs doctored by Uncle Howard, Grandpa, and his pals being chased out of Canada in an old Model A, the 'ol horse who pulled him and siblings up the hill so they could ski down it. So many stories that just had the "darndest things" happen.

Art was predeceased by his wife Carol Arnold; father Maurice Arnold; mother Hattie Arnold; brother Richard Arnold; and granddaughter Tori Arnold.

Art is survived by his wife, Georgia Arnold; sons and daughters Jerry (Debbie) Arnold, of Hinsdale, Amber (Jim) Cummings, of Falmouth, Mass., Jennifer (Jeremy) Engelin, of Catskill, N.Y., David (Jenn) Ricci, of Troy, N.Y., and Vick Ricci, of Saugerties; grandchildren Kelcey (Jake) Knaff, of Glasgow, Mont., Travis Austin, of Glasgow, Ashley Sherman, of Providence, R.I., Chase Sherman, of Rochester, Mass., James Cummings, of Falmouth, Mass.; Xavier Engelin, of Catskill, and Gabriella Engelin, of Catskill; great-grandchildren Colt, Newt and Flint Knaff, of Glasgow; siblings Johnnie (Linda) Arnold, of Hinsdale, Christine Arnold, of Shoshoni, Wyo., Joan (Bill) Hill, of Hermiston, Ore., and Eugene (Sherri) Arnold, of Laurel, Mont.; nephews and nieces Mark (Deanna) Arnold, of Hinsdale, Michael Arnold, of Perkins, Okla., Jeff (Nancy) Caldwell, of Hermiston, David (Brenda) Caldwell, of Hermiston, Scott (Krista) Eaton, of Florence, Mont., and Amy (Nick) DeTienne, of Laurel.

Art has asked that donations be made to the Hinsdale Lutheran Church in his honor or a charity of your choice.