Arnold. W. Reed, long time resident of Shell Knob and Springfield, Missouri, died quietly in his sleep on March 10, 2009, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he had recently moved to be near his family. The cause of death was congestive heart failure, which Arnold had suffered from for several years. He was born on October 15, 1920, in Wahpeton, North Dakota, the son of Virginia and Roy K. Reed.

He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, followed by a long and successful career in the Federal Aviation Administration.

He married Clara Scherr in Eugene, Oregon, on February 21, 1945.

Arnold learned to fly airplanes from his father and was an avid pilot for many years, until he was grounded by his heart condition. After he could no longer fly, Arnold enthusiastically took up motorcycles, which provided him with much pleasure well into his 80s.

After his retirement in 1976, he and his wife moved to Shell Knob, Missouri, where they spent 26 enjoyable years.

After Clara's death in 2002, Arnold moved to the Gardens retirement community in Springfield, where he made many wonderful friends in his final years.

He is survived by his brother, Kenneth Reed of Mandan, North Dakota; and his son and daughter-in-law, Steve Reed and Carolyn Lamb of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Arnold will be buried in National Cemetery, in Springfield, Missouri, next to his wife.
At his request, the only service will be a small private ceremony at the gravesite, accompanied by a military honor guard.