William H. (Bill) Arnold, age 86, passed away on Wednesday, April 1st, 2020 at Good Samaritan Village, Loveland, CO after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. Prior to moving to Loveland in Dec. 2015 Bill and his family lived in Littleton, CO since 1982 and were members of St. Mary’s Church, and later St. Francis Cabrini Parish.
Born January 20, 1934 in Victoria, KS to William A. Arnold and Anna (Rohleder) Arnold, he was the oldest of 7 children. Bill attended grade school and high school in Garden City, KS, junior college in Dodge City, KS, and finally University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO.
Bill was an amazing athlete in high school and junior college, excelling as a baseball pitcher, with the nickname of “Wild Bill”. He was All-State in high school, and pitched in the Ban Johnson League after high school. In 1956, he signed and briefly played with the Billings Pioneer Baseball Club, and in 1957 The Pensacola Baseball Club, both Uniformed Player Contracts through the National Association of Professional Baseball League. He coached baseball in Greeley, CO for the Babe Ruth league, and years later also at St. Mary’s Grade School in Littleton, CO. His nickname of “Coach” from all the staff at Good Samaritan Village was so very appropriate.
Bill worked briefly as a dispatcher for the Kansas Highway Patrol before going into the commercial insurance field where he was a successful sales executive for 50+ years before retiring in 2013. Besides working for large brokerage firms of Employers of Wausau, Marsh & McLennan, and Alexander & Alexander, he was a sales executive with 3-4 insurance agencies in Greeley, CO over several years. In the late 70’s he moved to Hays, KS and worked for Insurance Planning Agency, before moving back to Colorado in 1982. Thereafter, Bill started his own agency, Arnold & Arnold, Inc., which he and his wife operated in Littleton, CO from 1988 to 2004. From 2004 to 2013, Bill was associated with the Insurance Division of Bank of the West.
Bill married Barbara (Schreiner) Arnold in Hays, KS on July 25, 1981. He is survived by his wife of 38 years; 7 children, Nicki Arnold, Kenneth Arnold & wife Michelle, Teresa (Arnold) Castor & husband Dan, Debbi (Arnold) Gardner & husband Guy, Chad Creamer & wife Alisa, Brett Creamer & wife Kelli, and Linsey (Arnold) Hurlbirt & husband Jake; 15 grandchildren; 3 great grandchildren; sisters, Delores (Arnold) Paschal & husband Mike, and Rosie (Arnold) Schaa & husband Dave; and brother, Richard Arnold & wife Jane. He is preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Leroy Arnold and Albert Arnold; and one sister, Kathy Arnold.
Bill was truly a loving husband, father, grandpa, and papa-whose greatest pride and joy in life was unquestionably his family!
There will be a memorial mass & service to celebrate Bill’s life in the next few months as may be allowed due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in place. We hope to see you then to share our memories together.
In Bill’s honor, memorial contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
