In Memory of Those with Whom we Served

Jimmy Young Arnold, age 80, passed away on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at the Ballad Hospice House.

Jimmy was a lifelong resident of Bristol. He was the second child of Hurley Young Arnold and Gertrude Thomas Arnold. He was born on December 15, 1943, at the Kings Mountain Hospital in Bristol, Va. Jimmy grew up on "Skull Hill" in east Bristol before moving to the "Rabbit Run" area of west Bristol in the mid-40s. He attended Rosemont Elementary School and was a Charter member of Rosemont Presbyterian Church. He was a member of the Tennessee High School Class of 1962. He played football and basketball at Tennessee High.

During high school and afterwards he worked for numerous businesses in Bristol. During the summer of 1963, he worked at a resort in the Catskill Mountains of New York where he met his future wife, Elizabeth Ann MacKenzie. He worked at the Holston Presbytery Camp in Banner Elk, NC before being drafted in 1964. He joined the Navy in Feb. 1964. He served three tours of duty in Vietnam as an aircrew man in Patron Squadron One. After separation from active duty, he returned home and attended East Tennessee State University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree. He married Ann MacKenzie of Rochester, New York the summer of 1968. After college they moved to Winston Salem, NC, where he worked for Western Electric. He returned to Bristol in 1972, and began his career in education as a teacher at Vance Junior High and Tennessee High. He later became Assistant Principal at Tennessee High and then Principal at Vance Middle School. His last assignment with the school systems was Supervisor of Facilities. He worked in the schools for a total of 32 years. He retired in 2003.

Shortly after beginning his education career, he joined the Navy Reserve Seabees. He served numerous assignments in the Reserve retiring as Force Master Chief of the Reserve Seabees. He loved his military life and was members of numerous military organizations. He was a life member of the Seabee Veterans of America, the Fleet Reserve, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. He served on the VFW Military Honor Guard for many years. He loved to travel with his wife and family; especially down the back roads going through the small towns and eating at the local restaurants. He and Ann had traveled to all 50 States and several foreign countries. A lot of his travels took him to spend time with grandkids in Columbus, OH and Chattanooga, TN. He also loved driving down "Memory Lane" in the Bristol area with his aunts and cousins. Keeping in touch with family members, military "buddies", and friends from schools was a very important part of his retired life especially Seabees, fellow teachers and administrators, and friends. He arranged numerous gatherings with these friends and colleagues on a regular basis.

He is preceded in death by his parents Hurley and Gertrude Arnold and sister, Judith Carol Arnold Icenhour. He is survived by his wife of 50+ years, Elizabeth Ann MacKenzie Arnold; sister, Karen Jo Arnold Renshaw of High Point, NC; son, Andrew Arnold of Bristol, TN; daughter, Margret Ann Arnold Graves of Columbus, OH; son, Thomas MacKenzie Arnold of Chattanooga; daughter, Mary Alice Arnold Aichele of Hilliard, OH; grandchildren, Chloe Arnold, Emma Arnold, Sophie Arnold, Andrew Graves, William Graves, Henry Graves, Jack Arnold, Josie Arnold, Elizabeth Arnold, Lucas Aichele, and Lucy Aichele.