Jeanne Meredith Arnold

Jeanne Meredith McClure Arnold, 91, died peacefully on January 15, 2017 at the Heritage Villa Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility in Dayton.

She was the daughter of David William McClure and Meredith Ada Rice and was born in Annville/Cleona, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania on November 3, 1925. Jeanne was a descendant of Benjamin Hull, who came to America about 1640. She lived most of her life in Harrisburg, PA. and in the late 1980’s decided to move to Clearwater, FL. to be closer to her mother. In February 2016, Jeanne was moved to Dayton to be closer to her daughter. Jeanne was a graduate of Annville High School and completed two years at Lebanon Valley College in Annville.

Jeanne was a model, worked with American Airlines, a homemaker and was the driving force in many civic and volunteer organizations. She was instrumental in establishing public libraries in Harrisburg. She was an avid reader, reading as many as three books at one time, enjoyed swimming, sunbathing, decorating and painting in watercolors or acrylics.

Jeanne is preceded in death by her parents; husband, John Loy Arnold; son, John Andrew “Andy” Arnold. She leaves behind to cherish her memory her daughter, Susan Rice Arnold Saffel Simmons of Dayton, grandchildren: Adam Kane Saffel and wife, Aline of Hillsboro, Oregon; Nicholas Grant Saffel and wife Marina of Atlanta, Georgia; Lindsay McClure Saffel Hanton and husband Shaun of Houston, Texas and Phillip Michael Saffel and wife Amanda of Lubbock, Texas. Great- grandchildren include: Eli and Abner Saffel (Oregon), Regan and Natalie Saffel (Georgia), and Olivia and Everett Saffel (Lubbock) and Poppy Arnold Chaplin Hanton (Houston).

The beach, sand and sun made Jeanne happy. She was quite a free spirit and spent every minute she could on the beaches of Stone Harbor, New Jersey and in Clearwater, Florida. Her motto was “Live life in a bikini “and “I’m all about palm trees and 80 degrees”

The family would like to express our deep gratitude to the nursing staff and “family” of Heritage Villa Nursing Facility whose love and gentle caring enabled Jeanne to be herself the last 11 months of her life. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations be made to the charity of your choice. Pace-Stancil of Dayton is handling the cremation and a private family service will be held at her daughter’s home in Dayton at a later date.