Pat McGowan Arnold

Pat McGowan Arnold Pat McGowan Arnold passed away on December 29, 2013 at Kaweah Delta Hospital in Visalia CA at age 85. Pat was born on October 4, 1928 in Camden, Mississippi to Harvey and Annie Belle McGowan Arnold. Pat was a person who people loved to be with, able to make everyone around him happy. Pat lost his mother when he was 2 and his father was not able to raise him, so his aunt Bridget stepped in to help and did an excellent job rearing him through childhood. As a young man Pat went into the military and served our country in the US Navy as a member of the Seabees. While in the service he attended a dance in Tulare, CA where he met his wife to be Anna Marie Kleinhans (her name was later changed from Anna Marie to just Marie) and they immediately fell in love. They were married on November 3, 1951 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Visalia. Pat immediately fit into the family and was dearly loved by his in-laws Tom and Anna Kleinhans. After his time in the service Pat found a job working for Pacific Bell Telephone and there spent his entire working career. Pat was a man of many loves and interests. He was a life member of the Elks Club being with them for 52 years and also a member of the Moose Lodge for 39 years. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 18. Pat was a huge sports fan. He loved Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Fresno State football. One of the experiences he loved to talk about was a trip with Dr. Chris Audino and his brother and Bob Silveira to Mississippi to see a football game between Fresno State and Ole Miss. While there they experienced what college football was like in the South; fans arriving days before the game, dressing up and having fabulous tailgate parties. Pat was also a diehard San Francisco 49ers fan. He and the late Msgr. Tom Kleinhans had season tickets to the games. Father Tom willed Pat the tickets and parking which he sold when he could no longer attend. Pat loved Visalia and was a member of St. Mary’s Church since 1951. He was very close to Msgr. Tom Kleinhans, who was like a brother to him, and Father Rod Craig who attended to his needs at the hospital and anointed him. There were three very important women in Pat’s life. His wife Anna Marie who passed in 1988 then Anna Marie’s classmate Betty Jackson Hook was a great friend and companion to Pat. Lastly, but not least, Dorothy Been was very dear to Pat and was with him until he passed recently. Pat is survived by his brother elderly brother James Arnold in Mississippi, his special niece Cheryll Arnold and her two children Shy Kristen Pilgreen and Michial Wayne Pilgreen (Dawn) and their children Carter and Collin and Also Pat’s nephews Michial David Arnold and Francis Martin and their two daughters Lauren Louise Martin Arnold (attending college in Scotland) and Haley O’Hara Martin Arnold (attending college in Los Angeles). Pat is also survived by sister-in-law Margaret Kleinhans Crawford and was “Uncle Pat” to many of Marie’s nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by three sisters Louise, Kathleen and Aleen, two brothers Robert and Herbert and a niece, Carolyn Ann Norman . Other survivors include Roger Rye and his wife Pat (Roger did so much for Pat for 35 years, he was like a brother). Bill and Joanne Mulvaney, Matt Mulvaney and family and Bob and Glenita Silveira. Pat and Marie were also Godparents to 9 children. Pat could light up a room and his carefree spirit and wonderfully uplifting presence will be missed by many. There will be military honors by California Honor Guard at the cemetery following the mass as well as Elks Club honors. The family kindly requests no flowers. They would ask instead that donations be sent to BPO Elks Lodge #1298 at 3100 W. Main St. Visalia CA 93291 or Alzheimers Research at alz.org. Memorial masses may also be made in his honor c/o Father Rod Craig PO Box 249 Three Rivers, CA 93271. GO 49ers! Wear Red!

Pat McGowan Arnold

October 4, 1928 - December 29, 2013