John C. Arnold (1951-2020)

ARNOLD, JOHNSON, THOMPSON

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 9/6/2020 at 21:03:54

Funeral services and Mass of Christian Burial for John C. Arnold, 69, a resident of LeClaire will be 11 AM Friday, September 11, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Bettendorf. Burial will take place at Davenport Memorial Park. Visitation will be Thursday from 3 until 7p.m. at the Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home with a memorial service and time of sharing at 6:30 PM. All are welcome to attend. The memorial service will be livestreamed by visiting John’s obituary at www.hmdfuneralhome.com. There will be an additional visitation at Lourdes Friday from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Please wear a mask and adhere to social distancing. Memorials may be made to King’s Harvest Pet Rescue. John passed away courageously on Thursday, September 3, 2020 at the University of Iowa Hospital, Iowa City.

John Christopher Arnold was born August 7, 1951 in Davenport Iowa, a son of Duayne E. and Marion L. (Johnson) Arnold. After graduating from Davenport West High School, John graduated in the top 10% of his class at the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in Statistical Analysis. Eventually, he returned home to join his father at Arnold’s Body Shop, which Duayne and Marion opened in 1969. Duayne’s exceptional craftsmanship and customer service combined with John’s vision and business savvy, built Arnold’s Body Shop into the Quad Cities’ standard-bearer for unparalleled vehicle collision repair. John felt deeply for his employees and treated them like extended family. Arnold’s Body Shop celebrated its 50th year in business last year.

John was united in marriage to Mary Thompson on July 21, 1972 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport. Over their 27 years of marriage, John and Mary proudly raised three children, Joe, Katie, and Annie. In 2000, John was united in marriage to Marge Stratton. Later in life, John was united in marriage to Virginia Leigh (Ginger) Geramanis on February 18, 2017 at Saint Alphonsus Catholic Church, Davenport. John was very dedicated in helping raise his two step-daughters, Alex and Abbie.

Over the years, John volunteered his time to the communities he loved. He believed in giving back. John was a member of the Board of Directors of the local D.A.R.E. program. He served on the Davenport Chamber of Commerce, served as President of The Outing Club, and served as legislative liaison for the Iowa Collision Repair Association. John was also very active in the churches where he worshiped.

John adored his grandchildren and was able to spend regular quality time with them. Whether picking them up from school or just hanging out, he loved every minute and had a hard time saying no. He also cherished his canine companions, most recently Rosie, Sophie and the late Dutch. John was great with his hands, he could build or fix anything usually without instructions. He was legendary for keeping a lawn that rivaled any PGA golf course! John’s absence will leave a giant void in the hearts and lives of countless loved ones. His kind and loving heart, comical nature, sparkling eyes and ready smile will be greatly missed.

John is survived by his wife Ginger ‘Leigh’, Le Claire; children and their spouses Joseph (Sheila) Arnold, Geneseo, Katie (Wes Gerdes) Arnold Langworthy, Iowa, Annie (Miah) McMahon, Davenport, Alex (AB) Brown, Bettendorf, and Abbie Hart, LeClaire; grandchildren: Brooklynn, Castin, Connor, Noah, Ella, Kael, Hayden, Alysha, and Ava; a brother Thomas (Amelia) Arnold, North Hampton, Massachusetts, a nephew Ruvi Ender Arnold; aunts: Norma Engler and Jan Moeller; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Michael (Diane) Geramanis, Sarasota Florida, Gary (Christine) Geramanis, Plymouth, Massachusetts, Jean (Ed) Choate,LeClaire, and Julie Wilson, LaGrange, Illinois and his special work family at Arnold’s Body Shop, especially his CFO and 25-year teammate, Dawn Conrad-Curtiss.

John was preceded in death by his parents.