Dr. Paula Ann Youngberg Arnell

Dr. Paula Ann Youngberg Arnell died at home on Sept 11, 2015 at the age of 76 after a yearlong battle with cancer. Visitation will be on Friday, September 18th, from 4-7 p.m. at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home in Rock Island. The funeral service will be held the next day, Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. John's Lutheran Church in Rock Island with burial to follow at Rock Island Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Trinity Health Care Foundation, St. John's Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, or Augustana College.

Paula, the daughter of Mabel Arnell Youngberg and Dr. Paul Youngberg, lived most of her life in the Rock Island house built by her Swedish-immigrant grandfather in 1895.

Paula graduated from Rock Island High School in 1956. In 1960, she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a major in biology and minor in music from Augustana College, a place where her family has deep roots. While in high school and college, she fostered her love of music by serving as organist at Bethel Methodist Church in Moline.

Her career in medicine began at the early age of 12, when she worked as the first ward secretary at Lutheran Hospital. She earned a doctor of medicine degree in 1964 from the University of Iowa School of Medicine, where she was one of only four women in a class of over a hundred. From 1964-1965, she interned at St Luke's and Mercy Hospitals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, returning to the University of Iowa from 1965-1969 for a residency in anatomic and clinical pathology. She became a Fellow in the College of American Pathology and the American Society of Clinical Pathology. She was also a member of the Rock Island County Medical Society, the Illinois Medical Society, and the American Medical Association.

On June 28, 1964, she married Dr. Richard Yaki Arnell, her classmate and lab partner in medical school. Paula returned with her husband to the Quad Cities in 1969, and began her 45 year practice of pathology at Lutheran Hospital. As hospitals merged, Paula continued to practice at United and later Trinity Hospital/UnityPoint where she served as Chair and Medical Director of the Department of Pathology. She was a senior partner in Quad Cities Pathologists, LLC, and served as Laboratory Director of Metropolitan Medical Laboratory, PLC. She was a vocal supporter of the role of a quality hospital and quality laboratory in the local community. To that end, Paula practiced medicine with academic rigor and a strong sense of service and compassion.

Her devotion to medicine and the community was also evidenced by her involvement in a number of local organizations. She was Chair of the Board of Directors for Trinity Medical Center, Chair of Trinity Regional Health System Board, and was Vice-Chair of the Iowa Health System Board. She served on the Board of Directors of Augustana College and became the first female Chair of the College Board of Directors. She was Chair of the Augustana Research Foundation, and board member for numerous organizations, including the governing board of the Lutheran Social Services of Western Illinois, the Moline Community Foundation, the Rock Island Historical Society, and the Good Samaritan Free Clinic. She was past President of the Rock Island County American Cancer Society, and professional delegate to the Illinois American Cancer Society. She was a founding board member of the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, as well as the co-founder of the Quad-City Regional Breast Center. And she was elected National Delegate of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

She also served for 27 years as Medical Director for Royal Neighbors of America where she was instrumental in creating The Women's Connection, a non-profit organization designed to inspire, educate, and connect women. She also served as a member of the RNA Supreme Board of Directors. During her work at Royal Neighbors, she was an editor for an advisory monthly medical column in "The Royal Neighbor Magazine."

She engaged in many speaking and writing endeavors such as serving as a commencement speaker for Augustana College and the Trinity College of Nursing. In 2001, Paula edited The Doctors' Story, a history of the Rock Island County Medical Society on the occasion of its 100th Anniversary.

And for her service to the community, Paula received numerous awards: the Illinois State Medical Society Service Award, the Distinguished Alumni Award for Service (University of Iowa College of Medicine), Outstanding Alumnus Award (Augustana College), and the Marguerite Brooks Award for Outstanding Professional Woman. She was also named a 2012 Rock Island High School Legend by the Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation.

Paula brought to everything she did an indefatigable energy, a keen mind, and a passionate curiosity. Although trained in the sciences, she had interests ranging from hymnody to Native American history to American and Scandinavian culture. She was a lifelong, award-winning gardener, a talented pianist and organist, a calligrapher, an antiquer, an animal lover, and a creative scrap-booker.

While having accomplished so much in the public arena, her family knew her best for her amazing smile, loving, gentle, and fun nature, and inquisitive mind. She was the grandmother who read stories, collected old toys, and planned scavenger hunts. All will dearly miss the beloved mother who was the center of their lives.

The family is grateful for the excellent care she received from all the medical professionals who treated her during her illness. Paula also greatly appreciated the many uplifting visits, cards, and other kind words of comfort and support from church members, colleagues, and other friends.

Paula was preceded in death by her parents. Her survivors include her husband of fifty-one years, Dr. Richard Arnell; her children: Dr. Carla Arnell (Paul Lucas), Dr. Paula Marie Arnell (Dr. Vincent Liu), and Paul Arnell; her grandchildren: John, Elisabeth, Susanne, Linnea, and Lydia; her sister Dr. Karin Youngberg; and her cat, Flicka.

Online condolences may be left at wheelanpressly.com