Charles W. Arnold Jr.

July 24, 1922 - November 16, 2016

Charles W. (Hap) Arnold, Jr. , age 94 most recently of Harleysville, PA, passed away peacefully on November 16, 2016. He was born in Abingdon, VA on July 24, 1922, son of the late Charles Warren, Sr. and Lucy (Counts) Arnold. He was the much loved husband of Wilma Jean (Litteral) Arnold and they celebrated their Seventieth Wedding Anniversary this past October. Charles was raised in Virginia and graduated from William King High School in 1940. He pursued his post secondary academic learning until he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps in 1942 when he trained as a single engine expert aerial gunnery pilot. Hap then served his country as a First Lieutenant until 1946 in the European Theater of World War II as a P51 Mustang fighter pilot with the 55th Squadron of the 20th Fighter Group of the 8th Army Air Corps. He immediately joined the National Guard upon his honorable discharge from active duty and served until 1951. Hap is survived by four children: Catherine Rubbo of King of Prussia, PA, Charles W. (Mary) Arnold III of Rochester, NY, Debra (Jeff) Douglas of Charlottesville, VA and William Daniel Arnold of Baton Rouge, LA; eight grandchildren: Tricia (Danny), Phil (Janice), Tori, Lisa (Ben), Jim (Heidi), Rachel, Thomas and Emily: along with eleven great grandchildren: Maggie, Charlie, Philip III, Jocelyn, Ava, Sydney Claire, Courtney, Beckett, Mia, Benjamin and Colton. Hap retired from Allied Chemical in 1976 as a Senior Comptroller. His career led his family around the country until Hap and Jean ultimately retired to Port Charlotte, FL, where they lived for thirty years. They relocated to Arbour Square Retirement Community in Harleysville, PA in 2014. After retirement, he utilized his financial knowledge to assist friends with their personal finances and annual tax preparations. To quote one close friend and business associate, Steve Osbourne, “Hap was the quintessential definition of a fiduciary, always putting the interests of others first, always scrupulously ethical, and always available when his “ladies (clients)” needed some hand holding. We were friends and associates of over thirty years because we knew we could trust the other to always “do the right thing”. Godspeed Husband, Dad, Grandpa. We will miss you!