James Wesley Arnold

June 9, 1956, to May 29, 2023

James Wesley Arnold of Coppell Texas passed away on Monday May 29, 2023, at his home in Coppell, TX.

He was born on June 9, 1956, in Lima Ohio, the son of Richard (Dick) and Betty Arnold. Jim’s family lived in Rocky River, Ohio for most of his school years. His father graduated from Ohio State University and was employed in management leadership positions in the chemical and petroleum industries. In 1971-72 Jim’s family moved to Tehran, Iran for a year where his father was managing director of a petroleum company, a subsidiary of B.F. Goodrich Chemical Company. Jim really liked that year of living overseas and spoke of it as an adventure.

Returning to the States, Jim graduated from Firestone High School in Akron, Ohio in 1974. He attended Miami University in Ohio, graduating in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. He moved to Houston Texas and began his career in advertising and marketing at Compaq Computer and then Texas Instruments.

In 2000, Jim moved to the Dallas Area to advance his career in important marketing leadership roles at well-known companies including IBM, Hewlett-Packard, CompuCom, MetricsBoard, SE IT Consulting, and WEM Modeler. In Jim’s retirement, he and his wife Sharon started Coppell Candle Company in December of 2016. They worked and built the company together, each bringing their individual expertise.

In his career, Jim was recognized for his leadership abilities as noted by colleagues who described him as innovative, and metrics driven; a skillful developer of key relationships in business partnerships and sales; skilled at providing creative approaches to otherwise traditional marketing design; using creative insight to build a brand; and an encouraging supportive leader.

Beyond his career experience, Jim always enjoyed good times with family and friends. He was proud of his children and tried to be the best Dad he could be. He took pleasure in his household pets from boyhood on. He always had an eye for art and dabbled in painting on canvas. He was a seeker of artistic beauty and appreciated landscape and animal photography from all over the world.

Jim was raised an Ohio State fan and would reminisce about the Rose Bowl victory in 1997 that he attended with his Dad. Of course, he enjoyed Dallas sports teams also. As a high schooler he liked David Bowie which became a lifelong obsession. Even recently he would cruise in his Aston Martin convertible playing David Bowie music.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents. Jim is survived by his wife Sharon Arnold, and sons Wesley and wife, Catherine, Monroe, and a daughter Addison. Jim is also survived by two granddaughters Sky and Isabelle. His sister, Rebecca (Arnold) Forsyth and husband Elliot reside in Ann Arbor, MI.

Jim’s family is planning a Life Memorial Celebration to be announced at a future date.

The family asks that memorial donations be made in Jim’s name to The American Cancer Society.

View his obituary and send condolences online at dignitymemorial.com