Beatrice "Bea" Arnold

Beatrice “Bea” Arnold, 90, of Shawnee, Kansas, passed away peacefully on November 26, 2022 in the loving presence of her son, Keith, who was holding her hand and streaming her favorite country and bluegrass gospel music for her as she left this world.

Born January 19, 1932 to Lawrence and Bessie (Baumgarden) Wisner in St. Clair County, Missouri, Bea was a depression-era farm girl, who came to Kansas City in the late 1940s for employment.  She would share stories of riding the street cars that could take you all over the city, of working for Hallmark Cards and Daniels Cleaners, and of going to the many movie houses that the city had in those days.

Bea married John Arnold December 5, 1949, and they were together for nearly 63 years before he died in 2012.  Bea was also predeceased by her grandson, Corey Arnold earlier this year, her sister Irene, her nephew Leland, her brother Joe and his wife Betty, her nephew Charles Arnold along with in-laws Robert and Margaret Arnold and Rose and Charlie Adams.

Bea leaves behind her son and daughter-in-law John and Laurie Arnold, her son Keith Arnold, her grandson Richard Arnold, and also her brother and his wife Gene and Florence Wisner, and many nephews and nieces and great as well as great-great nephews and nieces.

Bea requested that there not be a visitation or a funeral, but a simple graveside service for family and friends.  In respecting those wishes, her service will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 1 at Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens Cemetery at Highway 7 and 75th Street in Western Shawnee.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Bea’s name to City Union Mission at cityunionmission.org.  John and Bea both thought a great deal of this ministry for the homeless. Bea also frequently supported the Disabled American Veterans at www.dav.org, as John was a Korean War veteran who fought at the intense three week battle at the Chosin Reservoir.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Evergreen Community of Johnson County for providing much care, compassion and love for Bea in her final six months, especially life coach Natalie and Chaplain James.  The highlight of her stay there was when she and other residents got a grand tour of Kauffman Stadium in September.  Mom was a life-long KC Royals fan, and she was full of energy when describing the experience of seeing the press box, the Royals Hall of Fame, the locker room, the dugout and going onto the field.  The outing wore her out, but in her words, “I enjoyed every bit of it.  I had a ball.  This old lady had a great time.”

Prior to entering the Evergreen Community, mom had three terrific caregivers in her own home, and the family would like to thank Martha, Gwen and Donnette for their care and compassion.

Her son Keith would also like to thank Dr. Stephanie Thom and ER nurse Bruce at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission Medical Center for their compassion and warmth for him during mom’s final hours.