Lee Arnold

Lee is survived by his wife of 32 years, Grace Ann, and their five children, who brought him great pride and tremendous joy:Jack; Anne; Olivia; Catherine; and Nora. Lee also is survived by his siblings and in-laws, James (Chutima); Jennifer (Thomas); and Christopher (Erin); his maternal uncle, Robert Lynch; eight much-loved nieces and nephews, Hannah, Nicholas, Henry, Camryn,Austin, Boone, Alice and Ryan; cousin Christopher Lynch and many other treasured cousins in the U.S. and Scotland; and dear, lifelong friends. Lee is predeceased by his parents, Anne (McLernon) and Lee,Sr.; his maternal uncle, James McLernon;and paternal uncle, Kenneth Arnold.

Lee was born in the Bronx and spent his early childhood in Middletown, NY. In 1978, his parents moved to Nanuet, NY, and Lee has called Rockland home ever since. On sunny days, he cruised Clausland Mountain Park in his baby blue 1965 Buick Special Convertible, a car first owned by his father that he continued to restore as a labor of love all his life.

Lee retired as a wallpaper hanger in 2022, after 36 years hanging strips throughout the NY metro area and beyond as a member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Local 490 Paperhangers Union in New York. Lee often pointed to buildings in Manhattan when visiting with his family, “See that building there, I did the wallpaper.” Lee had a strong work ethic, was fascinated by architectural engineering and knew his way around a set of blueprints. He put these skills to work when he reinvented his career and became an Estimator at Cauldwell Wingate in NYC, where he was employed at the time of his death.

Lee will be remembered for being a really nice guy who reliably showed up for his family, friends and co-workers; a quiet, laid back, selfless man who recognized the best in people. He had a subtle mischievous streak and delivered great one-liners. He was a tenacious problem-solver, a lifetime learner and could fix just about anything. Music was important to him – he usually had one AirPod in with his playlist on shuffle. He was warm and kindhearted, extraordinarily generous and respectful, committed to his family and graciously opened his home to family, friends and strangers. He enjoyed travelling, documentaries, home improvement projects and late days on the beach before watching the sunset at the family’s vacation home in Brigantine, NJ.

Visitation 2-4 and 6-8PM on Sunday, September 7, at Michael J. Higgins Funeral Service, 321 South Main Street, New City, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Aedan’s Roman Catholic Church, Pearl River, on Monday, September 8, at 10AM, followed by a burial in Gethsemane Cemetery at Rockland Lake in Congers, NY.