Carol Naomi Arnold

Carol Naomi Arnold

Carol Naomi Arnold passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on June 7, 2025. She was 86 years old.

Carol was born December 16, 1938, to Arthur St. Claire and Blanche Rhoda Annette Moses on the family farm in Big Fork, Minnesota. Joining her sister Ruth, Carol completed the family of four. She began her international travels early when her family began serving as missionaries in China in 1939. Carol spent her first year there while her parents managed the hospital. As WWII conflicts encroached, Carol travelled home with her mother and sister while her dad stayed close to the hospital. Ultimately, he spent the duration of the war as a civilian in a POW camp. While he was away, Carol and Ruth lived with various aunts and uncles while their mom worked as a county public health nurse for the rural counties in Minnesota.

The family eventually settled in Glencoe, MN where Carol attended high school. She was a very studious child who played trumpet for the school band and piano for the church. She was the valedictorian of her class and the recipient of the Arion Award for her musical achievements. After high school, Carol moved to Nampa, Idaho to attend Northwest Nazarene College from 1956 to 1960. Carol earned a bachelor’s degree in education - Home Economics and continued to play the trumpet for the orchestra and band. After college, Carol began her first teaching job at Kuna High School. Carol married Ray Arnold on September 5th, 1959, and the couple moved to Cascade, Idaho to teach at Cascade High School. Carol taught at the school from 1961 to 1968. During that time, Carol welcomed her son, Mike, into the family.

Carol retired from teaching in the spring of 1968. Later that year, the family grew to include her daughter, Ronda. After Ronda was born, Carol worked part-time at the Valley County Courthouse as the juvenile probation officer. In 1972, Ray and Carol embarked on a business venture known as Arnold Aviation. The business started as an air taxi company providing life flight services to Valley County. By 1975, Arnold Aviation grew into a full-time career for Carol. At first, she managed the operation out of her kitchen while Ray finished building the present-day airport office and hangar. Carol served as the office manager, pilot wrangler, backcountry shopper, radio operator, scheduler, accountant, and everything else that was needed to maintain the business. She was the lifeline to so many people in the backcountry before they had access to satellite services. In 2004, she received the Idaho Outfitters and Guides White Hat award for 30 years of service to the outfitters of Idaho. Carol dedicated her life to Arnold Aviation, managing the company full-time until June of 2020 at the age of 81 years old.

Throughout her time managing Arnold Aviation, Carol maintained her passion for teaching. She even took on a short-term substitute teaching job at Cascade High School in 1985. She kept her certification credentials active for many years after that by attending classes either online or at BSU. In addition to her love of learning and teaching, Carol always enjoyed giving back to the community. She honored this by serving on the board for the Cascade Public Library for many years.

Carol's home was always open. She hosted youth groups, bible studies, and people who were stranded from the backcountry due to changes in weather. No matter how busy she was, there was always room for others to join. After her kids moved away, Carol hosted a young man from Germany, Eric, while he attended Cascade High School. Later, she hosted another student from China, Julie, while she attended NNU and taught Chinese at Cascade High School.

Carol loved to travel. Trips to Hawaii with her friend Melvia, a trip to Germany to see her exchange student Eric, spring break trips with her daughter and granddaughters to Las Vegas, Mexico, San Diego, Palm Springs, and many others were always fond memories for her. She never passed up an opportunity to go somewhere.

Carol loved to play the piano. She played for numerous weddings, funerals, choirs, and church services over the years. She attended the Nazarene church in McCall for several years before attending the Community Christian Church in Cascade so that Mike and Ronda could attend church with their classmates. While at the Community Church, she played the piano and organ and conducted many cantatas for Christmas and Easter. She also sang in a lady’s trio with June Schwalbe and JoAnne Wheeler and provided piano lessons to many students. Later, Carol attended the Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church in Cascade. She served as chairman of the board and continued to play piano for services and the choir at the Lutheran churches in both Cascade and McCall.

Carol's last years were spent in Meridian, Idaho with her daughter and then in assisted living. Through all the physical struggles, she remained a faithful servant of the Lord, and we know she is in the arms of her Savior today. She will be remembered as a loving mother, sister, wife, and friend to so many people. Her quiet but strong expression of her faith in her everyday life was a blessing to anyone who had the privilege of knowing her.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur St. Claire Moses and Blanche Rhoda Annette Moses. Carol is survived by her sister, Ruth Jack of Modesto, CA; son, Mike (Shauna) Arnold of Cascade, ID; daughter, Ronda (Ken) Roberts of Meridian, ID; Former husband and friend, Ray Arnold of Cascade, ID; grandchildren, Kelsey (Andy) Wilson of Wenatchee, WA, Kaylee (Taylor) Tuning of Cascade, ID, Karlyn (Joshua) Soriano of Billings, MT, and Kaleb (Diana) Arnold of Piscataway, NJ; and niece, Cathy Amerine of Modesto, CA.

The family would like to thank everyone who has supported Carol over the last five years, including her numerous friends that visited. Special thanks go to Melvia Zimmerman and Laurie Hynson, who faithfully came to do devotions throughout her time in assisted living, and the staff teams at St. Luke's Hospice, The Key, Foothills Physical Therapy, Multicare Home Health, Spring Gardens, Aspen Transitional, Jermicus, Makenna Farms, The Cottages and White Oaks Hospice. We can't thank each of you enough for the care you provided for her and our family during this time.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you donate to the charity of your choice in Carol’s name. Some of her favorites were the Boise Rescue Mission, Wycliffe, Wounded Warrior Project, Samaritan's Purse, the Red Cross, and the general scholarship fund at NNU.

Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.