Arnold Ripley Christie's Obituary
Arnold Ripley Christie, a longtime Fayetteville resident, passed away on September 19, 2014 at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale, Arkansas. Mr. Christie was born on January 4, 1918 in De Ridder, Louisiana to Charles Guy Christie and Emma Christina Gerken Christie. Arnold had seven siblings that included Ethyl Blanche, Clara Marie, Orson Henry, Dolly Mae, Mabel Kathryn, Leslie Guy, and Frances Myrtle. The family resided in Fayetteville since relocating here when Arnold was a child.
On November 5, 1942 Arnold married Margaret Ruth Collier of Prairie Grove in Providence, RI. She preceded him in death in 2010 after 67 years as husband and wife.
Arnold worked his entire career for Arkansas Western Gas Company, now Source Gas, where he worked his way up from a serviceman riding a bicycle to become Fayetteville Town Plant Manager. He served on the Fayetteville City Council, serving a term as Mayor, was City Street Commissioner, was a Registered Master Plumber, a member of Rotary International, and a longtime member of Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville. During World War II, he was among the first to enlist in the Navy Seabees, training in Rhode Island and doing wartime construction work in Bermuda and Iwo Jima. He was on Iwo "from the first shot until the end of the war." Arnold was an avid gardener, as can be attested by many friends who received his bountiful annual vegetable harvest. In addition to his family and friends, he will also be missed by the thousands of birds that annually visited his feeders.
Arnold is survived by one sister, Francis Myrtle "Mutt" Christie of Fayetteville, AR, along with several nieces and nephews.
Mr. Christie is also survived by his son, David Arnold Christie, and wife Jill Annette Giles Christie of Fayetteville, GA, with granddaughter Jennifer Dianne and husband Kevin Siemens of Clemson, SC and great-grandchildren Katherine "Kate" Christie, Anna Elizabeth, and Olivia Jane, by grandson Wesley Ryan and wife Amber Lane Williams Christie of Bessemer, AL, with grandchildren Miles Ryan and Ella Lane, and by granddaughter Laura Michelle Christie Johnson and husband Josh Johnson of Rincon, GA with great-grandchildren Jacob Taylor and Austin Anderson. He is also survived by his daughter, Cynthia Ann Christie, and husband Michael David Peven of Fayetteville, AR, with grandchildren Joseph "Joey" Russell of Chicago, IL and Jonathan "Jon" Arnold of Fayetteville, AR. He is also survived by his son, Richard Peter Christie, and wife Patricia "Patsy" Diane Roughton Christie of Springdale, AR with grandchildren Melissa Lynn Christie Lindeman and husband Jonathon Lindeman of Springdale, AR and Kimberley Michelle Christie of Wilmington, NC.
Visitation will be 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., Monday, September 22, 2014 at Moore's Chapel.
Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Tuesday at Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville followed by burial in the family plot at Son's Chapel Cemetery in Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas, under the direction of Moore's Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Regional National Cemetery Improvement Corporation, P.O. Box 4221, Fayetteville, AR 72701 or Son's Chapel Cemetery Maintenance Fund, 4912 E. Sandi Dr., Fayetteville, AR 72703 or Circle of Life Hospice, 901 Jones Rd., Springdale, AR 72762
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