Judge Hugh Hudson Arnold

Hugh Hudson Arnold passed away peacefully in the morning of November 15, 2016, just two days short of his 92nd birthday. He was born on November 17, 1924 in Galesburg, Illinois, the son of Ray and Helen Arnold. His father was a lawyer and also ran the 640 acre homesteaded family farm. His mother was a French Professor at Knox College. He was the brother of David Arnold, an executive of Continental Can in New York. Hugh grew up in Galesburg, which his ancestors founded in the 1800’s. During the Great Depression, Hugh spent many hours working on the farm, and often talked about going to the Chicago Stock Yards with his Dad to sell pigs and cattle in order to make ends meet during these times. He attended Galesburg High School and was a player on the boys basketball team. In 1942, Hugh attended and graduated from Loomis School in Windsor, Connecticut.

He received a full ride scholarship to Amherst College and began his freshman year there. However, after his 18th birthday in November, 1942, he entered the Army Air Corps. He became an advanced flying instructor before going overseas to command the B-17 Bomber, also known as The Flying Fortress. He flew 14 missions with the Eighth Air Force over Europe. During this time he was attacked by the German state of the art fighter plane, the Me-262, which was the first plane without propellers that the Allies had ever seen. The Me-262 shot down the plane off his right wing as well as the group leader. The vision of that beautiful airplane peeling off of his left wing was a vision he would never forget.

In 1945 he returned to finish his sophomore and junior years at Knox College in Galesburg, where he played on the varsity basketball team which tied for the conference championship. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi. On September 7, 1947, he married Phyllis Jean Short, whom he had known since grade school. They moved to Colorado Springs, where Hugh graduated cum laude from Colorado College in 1948 with a degree in business.

After graduation, they moved to Denver where Hugh began the Goodyear Training Program. However, he soon decided to go the University of Colorado Law School. He graduated in 1951 in the top of his class and was ranked 11th in the Colorado State Bar Exam.

In 1951 he and Phyllis moved to Greeley, where he practiced law for 17 years. He then was selected as the first District Judge appointed under the non-political selection process in 1968. He has always been viewed as an extremely fair, just and wise leader and servant. He was President of Rotary, a founding Director of the Cache National Bank, Moderator of the Church, President of the Colorado District Judges Association, and spent five years on the Colorado Judicial Discipline Commission. He received the second annual honor for “Outstanding Performance in the Judiciary” from the University of Colorado. He was one of 12 judges on the Executive Committee of the National Conference of State Trial Judges. He was an active member of the Board of Chamber of Commerce and Red Cross Board. His children, Laurie, Clark and Allison were born during those years.

One of the legacies he has left his family is his love and appreciation of nature. He was an avid outdoorsman who hiked the Grand Canyon four times as well as the Paria Canyon. His grandchildren will never forget him taking them on many wonderful and exciting adventures as well as teaching them how to ski, golf and play tennis. He was a skier before skiing was popular and some of his adventures included hiking up Trail Ridge and skiing down in unchartered territory. He was one of the original investors in Vail Resorts, which afforded him a lifetime ski pass when it cost only $5 for the day. He always said he got the better end of that deal, since he skied for free at Vail for the rest of his life. He taught us to get out and live life - camp, fish, hike, travel the world - which he did with gusto. He supported The Sierra Club, National Geographic, Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservatory, Union Pacific Railroad as well as his alma maters and numerous other charities. He was a Boy Scout leader and led his troop on a thrilling Canadian Headwaters canoe trip. As he said – “I like to taste from every plate of life.” And he did.

He never met a stranger and was beloved by all. He would stand in an elevator and ask “So where are you from?” He was interested in everyone and would say, “So tell me about yourself.” And he listened with interest. He was also an amazing historian, scholar and conversationalist. Until just recently he would meet with his coffee buddies at “My Place” twice a week for morning coffee. He maintained an office where he went to work almost every day and attended Rotary, Greeley Club, the Last Patrol and Church. Up until the end he was interested and interesting. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife Phyllis Arnold, and his son Clark Arnold. He is survived by his two daughters, Laurie Arnold Walker and her husband Don, Allison Arnold Minnick and her husband Dan. Grandchildren are Cameron Arnold Struthers and his wife Amber and their daughter Callie; Maclean Ross Struthers, wife Kathryn and their daughter Delaney; Bridger Minnick and Maddie Minnick and step grandchildren: Clasey Minnick, Evan Wilday, Beth Walker, Sarah Albert, her husband Greg and their children Lily and Finn, and Abby Brelig, husband Jake. He was given such tender loving care by Natalie Angell, Brenda Janicki, Deana Angell and Deluvina Gries, who by their unfailing devotion allowed him and Phyllis to stay and pass in their beautiful, cherished home with deer playing in the meadow, wild turkeys wandering the grounds and the blue heron flying across the river.

A Celebration of his life will be on Saturday, November 26, 2016 at 2:00 pm at the First Congregational Church, 2101 16th St., Greeley, CO. Reception to follow at the church.

Memorial Contributions can be made to: “The Environmental Defense Fund” in care of Allnutt Funeral Service, 702 13th St, Greeley, CO, 80631. Friends may view the online obituary and send condolences at www.allnutt.com.