Eleanore (Smith) Arnold

Eleanore Arnold, born in Port Huron, MI on March 28, 1918, died at the Wayne T. Patrick Hospice House in Rock Hill, SC on October, 2015 at the age of 97.

A few years after graduating from Port Huron High School she married Grant Arnold on October 21, 1939 and moved to Detroit, MI.  There she began her life-long devotion to her family, her church and others less fortunate.

While “her boys” always came first, but there was always time for others.  She led her first Sunday School class in Detroit in the 1940’s and led her last Sunday School class in York, SC in 2009.  That first class collected newspapers to raise funds for children throughout the world.  Over loading the car and breaking the family car’s rear spring did not deter her program.  She took this first class to a National Church Convention held in Detroit and she took those in her last class who could recite the 10 Commandments to a day of water skiing and a steak dinner on Lake Wylie.

In the early 1950’s, the family moved to suburban Philadelphia.  Here she continued being a Den Mother for local Packs and a life of helping others.  First it was baking and organizing Candy Strippers from Lakenau Hospital to raise funds at the Devon Horse Shoe.  Then it was being a volunteer in the children’s ward of the Philadelphia Hospital – a center city hospital founded in 1751 by Ben Franklin for the city’s poor.  Later she formed a group of ladies to bake and sell goods for Lakenau and other local charities.

She also became involved with the Army Hospital in Coatesville, PA working with disabled vets .  Most rewarding was working with WACS re-entering civilian life.  She loved her ‘girls’ and ‘boys’ and formed friendships that lasted years.

In the 1970’s her husband’s work led them to Baton Rouge, LA.  With no more boys to care for, Eleanore committed herself to the Ladies Aid Society of the Baton Rouge Symphony.  She soon became Chairman of the Society’s largest fund raising activity:  the Annual Debutante Ball and set a record for fund-raising.  Eleanore, the daughter of German immigrants who picked sugar beets in MI., was most comfortable with and welcomed by everyone she met.

Upon retirement, Eleanor and Grant moved to Keowee Key in SC.  Again, she became active in church work and soon headed up the Vacation Bible School.  She initiated a project to provide every child born in Oconee County with hand knitted layette and blankets upon leaving the hospital.  She called on local knitting mills to donate the yarn and organized local ladies to do the knitting.

After a few years of membership in the Seneca Woman’s Club she was asked to be Chair.  She is remembered for “kindling the fire” that restored the Club’s 19th century home by revitalizing membership and programs.

In the 1990’s she and her husband moved to a retirement home in Rock Hill,SC.  Eleanore stayed active in local churches until Alzheimer’s over took her.  She is a member of River Hills Community Church.  For all her life, Eleanore was a loving mother, wife, grandmother and great grandmother and deeply impacted everyone’s life she knew.

Her husband Grant, a son Larry and his wife Bobbie, of Lake Wylie, SC, and a son Mark and his wife Judi of Houston, TX survive Eleanore Arnold.  Also surviving her are 4 grandchildren:  Elizabeth Mayo and her husband Bill of Monument, CO; Robert Arnold and his wife Jennifer of Houston, TX.; Stephanie Marshburn and her husband Todd of Oakland, CA and Grant Arnold and his wife Etsuko of Waialua, HI.  Eleanore is great grandmother to 7 children:  Carissa and Kaelin Mayo, Colin Arnold, Ben and Hailey Marshburn, and Ama and Lani Arnold.

A memorial service will be held at River Hills Community Church on Thursday, October 8th at 12:30 p.m.   Burial will immediately follow the service in the River Hills Community Cemetery.

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