Jesse F. Arnold

Jesse F. Arnold, 100, of Exeter Township, passed away in the Berkshire Commons on December 12, 2014, surrounded by his loving family.

He was the husband of Mary A. (Reusing) Arnold who passed away on December 16, 2012. His first wife Irene Mae (Kroenig) Arnold died in 1983. Born in Reading, he was the son of the late Frank A. and Frances C. (Arnold) Arnold.

Jesse was a member of St. Catharine of Siena R.C. Church where in 1936 he organized and was the first scoutmaster of Troop 2 Mt. Penn now known as Troop 358. Jesse attended St. Paul's Parochial School. He graduated from Reading High School class of 1932 and the McCann School of Business.

Jesse was employed by UGI Gas Utilities for 42 years, retiring in 1979, as a System and Procedures Administrator. He was past president of the Data Processing Management Association.

Jesse was a veteran of World War II serving in the European Theater of Operations with the 552nd Military Police Escort Guard Company. Their mission was to assist in processing prisoners of war taken directly from the front lines. In 1994, he returned to Europe in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Normandy.

In retirement he was a member of the Berks County Senior Citizens Council now the Berks Encore where he was a member of the Board of Directors for several years. Jesse was also active for twelve years in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program where he prepared tax forms and other related forms for the elderly and handicap people throughout Berks County.

In 1992 Jesse was awarded with a plaque from the UGI Gas Utilities as the Reading Area Retiree Community Volunteer of the Year.

He was past president of the Reading Area Gas Utility Senior Group and also past President of the Consumer Advisory Board of the Metropolitan Edison Company.

Jesse is survived by his three children: Ronald J., husband of Margaret Arnold, Homosassa, FL, Barbara Ann, wife of Edward Emery, Sinking Spring and Ruth Ann, wife of Christopher Lutz, Mt. Penn. Also surviving are four stepchildren: David L., husband of Margaret Pergola, Belmont, MA, Carl V., husband of Frances Pergola, Cumberland, RI, Mary Ann, wife of Walter Barrick, West Townsend, MA and Diane T. Pergola, Tyngsboro, MA. There are 12 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, 7 step-grandchildren and 19 step-great-grandchildren. There are also numerous nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by four brothers, Carl, Harold, Donald, Paul, and two sisters, Rita Arnold Geesaman and Catherine Mae who passed away when she was an infant.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday at 11 a.m. in St. Catharine's Chapel, 2427 Perkiomen Ave., Reading, PA 19606. Entombment will be in Gethsemane Mausoleum. Friends may call Wednesday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., 739 Penn Ave., West Reading. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Catharine's R. C. Church, at the above address. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com.