Ray Van Dusen Arnold

He grew up on a small farm in the Dishman-Mica area of the Spokane Valley. The family moved to Elk, WA, where his mother, May, ran a store and restaurant. His father, Frederick ran the service station and small repairs on cars. Ray was the youngest son and had two sisters, Emily Jane and Barbara, as well as two older brothers, Richard and Doug.

Ray graduated from Riverside High School. Ray married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Ann Wegeleben. They had three children, Peggy, David & Paul. He served time in both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force. Ray worked for Kaiser Aluminum in Mead, WA and also attended SCC and

EWU where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master Degree in Science. Ray got his private pilot license in the 1960s. Ray loved flying and flew the family on many camping and fishing trips in Washington, Idaho and Montana. Ray's love of flying and teaching degree led him to Alaska in 1975. Ray got a teaching job at the Community College in Kodiak, Alaska and later got a job at the University of Alaska in Anchorage where he taught Sociology & Psychology until he retired. He also worked as a Drug & Alcohol Counselor at the prison in Cottonwood, Idaho as well as counseling for the U.S. Army in Germany. Ray loved the outdoors and all wildlife.

Ray had a dream to build and fly an aerobatic plane. He bought Christian Eagle plane kits and finished his dream, which took 25+ years to complete. Ray took his daughter, Peggy, on the plane's first flight which was a very special day. Ray had hired an artist that painted an Eagle that said "All Dreams Come With Wings" on his pilot seat and instrument panel in his plane.

Ray is proceeded in death by his son, Paul; and survived by his daughter, Peggy (Tim); son, David (Diana); grandsons, Tyler (Sayuri), Jeff (Christie) and Ryan (Amanda), as well as great-grandson, Cooper; along with many friends. Ray was a dear friend of Bill Wilson. He was loved dearly and will be missed, especially his contagious laugh.