Maurice "Moe" Arnold, 98, formerly of Sun City West, Ariz., passed away Tuesday March 19, 2019 at Amber Ridge Assisted Living, Moline.

A Mass of Christian burial will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 25, at Christ the King Catholic Church, Moline. Inurnment will be at a later date in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Avondale, Ariz. A Christian wake service will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, with visitation following until 5:00 p.m. at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 201 E. 4th Ave., Milan. And additional visitation 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Monday at the church. Memorials may be made to a favorite charity.

Maurice was born May 18, 1920 in Macomb, Ill., a son of Joseph and Ruth Pearce Arnold. He married Jeanette Mennel on January 25, 1944 in Quincy, Ill. She preceded him in death on November 24, 2007.

He graduated from Macomb High School and received a Bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Illinois, Class of 1948.

He was a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II, serving three years in the European Theater of Operations and one year in the United States.

Maurice was co-owner of the former Auto Acres Used Auto Parts in Milan. He was a past president of the Milan Chamber of Commerce, (ATRI) Auto & Truck Recyclers of Illinois, and national past president of (ADRA) Automotive Dismantlers and Recycling Association of America (1975-1976).

Ordained as a deacon in the Catholic Church in June of 1982, he celebrated 35 years of service. While in Arizona, he served as deacon at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Sun City West.

His entire life he loved organic gardening, from starting tomato plants from seed to harvest, well after the first snow.  Fishing saw a passion too, catching catfish with his three 100 hook commercial trot lines in the Mississippi to catching bass on Lake June in Florida.  Being an outdoors man, he taught his five sons to hunt duck and rabbits.  In his later years, he attended daily mass and enjoyed doing the work of angels by visiting the sick and dying.  He was a reflection of Jesus' good works.  At the age of 93, Maurice wrote and published his autobiography.

Surviving are his sons (and spouses), Stan (Nancy) Arnold, Coal Valley, Ill., Joseph (Crystal) Arnold, Milan, Philip (Karen) Arnold, Sun City West, Ariz., Peter Arnold, Albuquerque, NM and Andrew (Mary) Arnold, Beverly Hills, Fla.; grandchildren, Christopher (Caytie) Arnold, Stacy (Jon) Blair, Daniel (Ronda) Arnold, Susan (Tony) VanDeWalle, Jennifer (Nicholas) Swanson, Diane Arnold, Ashley Arnold and Joseph "Joey" Arnold; thirteen great-grandchildren; brother, Francis Arnold, Clearwater, Fla.; sisters, Rita Richbark and Patricia Arnold, both of Macomb, Ill.; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other family.

Maurice was preceded in death by his parents; wife; three sisters, Pauline Grainger, Kay Bartosch and Jean Lee; and two brothers, Earl and Charley Arnold.

Moe's family wishes to express their thanks and appreciation to the staffs of Amber Ridge Assisted Living and UnityPoint Hospice for their kindness and care.