Dr. Richard Chester Arnold

Richard "Dick" Arnold was born on June 27, 1939 to Clair C. and Helen Lucille (Covey) Arnold in Medicine Lodge, Kansas. When Dick was 11 years old, he started delivering morning newspapers for $6 per week. His mother made him save half of his earnings and he was allowed to keep the other half. Later, the evening paper was added so he delivered 450 papers a day. When he was a freshman in high school, he worked as the only life guard at the swimming pool 7 days a week all summer. He gave swimming lessons in the mornings and life guarded from 1:30 to 8:30pm, earning $15 per week. He graduated from Medicine Lodge High School at the age of 17 and attended Fort Hays State College, where he played football as a Center on the team. He was also on the swim team. During the summer, he worked for the Barber County highway department doing surveying and building roads. He also worked for the gypsum plant. August 4, 1961, he received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. He then accepted a job with Black and Veatch in Kansas City. On Valentine's Day 1962, he went on a blind date with a nursing student, Elizabeth "Betty" Johannes. After her graduation in August, they were married in Olathe, Kansas. Their marriage lasted 60 years. In 1963, they moved to Manhattan, Kansas, so Dick could continue his education at KSU, where he received his Doctor of Philosophy degree. While there, 2 children: Keith and Traci were born. August 1972, Dick accepted a teaching job at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and they moved to Elkhorn, NE. October 1982 - January 1995, he was a partner in his own business, Applied Power Associates. 1995 - 2003 he resumed teaching at UNO and UNL until he retired on May 7, 2003. He received the distinction of Emeritus, August 2003. He kept busy doing quality assurance for Airline Component Parts, Inc, consulting and working on a vertical rail experiment through UNL. He also enjoyed spending time with his wonderful grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Alysa, Christian, Ellie, Daniel, RJ, and Elise. They took family vacations: Colorado, Disney World, Alaska, and Hawaii. One of his favorited past-times was dinner with his family at ElBees on Tuesday nights. He also enjoyed working crossword puzzles, history, investing in the stock market, taking walks, watching trains, playing cards, and traveling with family and friends. Due to declining health he started dialysis in 2011; we thanked God when he received a kidney transplant on April, 12, 2012. He enjoyed 6 years with his new kidney. After it failed he began dialysis on October 26, 2018 until he no longer was able to physically continue 3 times a week treatments. He will be remembered for his generosity to family and friends. Visitation with family will be from 5:00 - 7:00pm Thursday at Reichmuth Funeral Home - Elkhorn. Funeral Services will be 10:30am Friday at Our Savior's Baptist Church (20230 Hopper Street Elkhorn, NE). In Lieu of flowers kindly consider a donation to; Our Savior's Baptist Church, Open Door Mission (PO Box 8340, Omaha, NE 68108-0340), or Passion Life (PO Box 862223, Marietta, GA 30062).

Dr. Richard Chester Arnold

June 27, 1939 - April 30, 2023