A graveside service will be held at 12 noon on Friday, October 11, 2019 at Floral Garden Park Cemetery in High Point. The family will receive friends on Thursday evening, October 10, 2019 from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm at Sechrest Funeral Service on Lexington Avenue in High Point.
Arnold was born on November 2, 1925 in High Point, and was the son of the late Arnold Jackson Koonce, Sr. and the late Nessie Smith Koonce. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Agnew Koonce, and his sister, Doris Koonce Clare.
Arnold attended The Citadel and Duke University prior to serving in World War II as a member of the US Navy. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Supply School at Harvard University, and then served in the Pacific during World War II. After being honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946, he graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill, where he became a life-long Tar Heel.
Arnold was the retired General Manager of Carolina Container Corporation with 43 years of service. During those years, he devoted much of his time to the City of High Point and the surrounding communities. He served 12 years as a member of the High Point City Council, before being twice elected as Mayor of High Point. He also served 26 years on the Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority, with ten of those years as Chairman. He served in several positions with the Masonic Lodge, American Heart Fund Drive, American Red Cross Blood Program, High Point Civil Service Commission, High Point Chamber of Commerce, Guilford Technical Community College, High Point Country Club, Presbyterian Homes of High Point and River Landing at Sandy Ridge.
He was awarded the 2003 High Point Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award and the 2009 High Point Enterprise Citizen of the Year Award. In recognition of his dedication and commitment to fresh drinking water for the City of High Point, in 2015 the City Council renamed the city lake the Arnold J. Koonce, Jr. City Lake.
While service to his community was a driving force in his life, Arnold also loved sports and the outdoors – particularly tennis and golf. He never missed a chance to be out on the Leath farm in Randolph County. He loved a good joke – particularly one on himself – and his family will miss his wonderful sense of humor and sage advice.
He is survived by his three daughters, Elizabeth M. Koonce, Susan K. Hinnant and Martha Redmond and husband Jobie Redmond, Jr.; and his five grandchildren, Samuel Hinnant, John Hinnant, Sarah Hinnant, Joseph Hinnant and MacLean Redmond.
Special thanks go from the Koonce family to Coleman Care Service – Niki, Myeisha, Mechelle, Tim, Lisa and Angie – and to Hospice of the Piedmont (thank you, Kasey).
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of the Piedmont, 1803 Westchester Drive, High Point, NC 27262, or the charity of one’s choice.
On line condolences may be made to the family at www.sechrestfunerals.com.
Sechrest Funeral Service is honored to assist the Koonce family.
