Died at home in London, early in the morning of 31 March 2020, after a difficult battle with cancer. Kathy was born in London on 10 August 1952 to loving parents Betty and Murray Quinney. Kathy is survived by her husband of 29 years, Michael (Mike) Christopher Arnold, her daughters, Sarah Michelle Read (Tombs) and Hillary Elizabeth Tombs, her sons Rodney Philip Arnold and Joshua Michael Arnold, as well as her sister Merryl Crowe and brothers Rick and Rob Quinney. Kathy was also the loving grandmother to five grandchildren: Zachary Quinn Read, Zoe Kathryn Laurie Read, Parker Jacqueline Read, Thatcher Michael Arnold, and Marlow Elizabeth Arnold.
Kathy grew up in London and Clarkson Ontario and lived as a young adult in Peterborough, Kitchener, and Mississauga. In 1981, along with her two daughters Sarah and Hillary, Kathy returned to London Ontario and worked a variety of jobs to support her girls as a single mother. These included employment as a bank teller at the CIBC at Oxford St. and High Park Rd. and as a price setter for Petro-Canada.
Kathy met the love of her life, Mike Arnold, in 1984 at the intersection of Oxford and Waterloo. Kathy pulled her car up to the light beside Mike on his motorcycle and sparks flew. After a loving courtship, Mike and Kathy wed on 18 August 1990 and lived happily thereafter in a cute little bungalow on Fitzroy Place in White Oaks. Kathy became a mother to Mike’s son Rodney as well as her own daughters and she and Mike added their son, Josh, to the mix of their happy home on 22 June 1993. In addition to their children, Kathy and Mike had a succession of beloved pets, including dogs Bay, Dreams, and Luna and cats Phia and Savannah.
In this period, Kathy worked at the company now known as Garda for over 20 years, where she made several lifelong friends and held a number of positions including manager of the cash room. She took great joy in traveling, vacationing frequently in Cuba and Mexico in particular, where she especially appreciated the company of her Arnold family sisters-in-law. She also followed her children to exotic destinations, visiting Hillary in Thailand, Rodney and family in Australia, and Sarah and family in France. She and Mike additionally traveled to Italy, Indonesia, and Fiji, and had a trip planned with their children to Costa Rica that had to be canceled due to Kathy’s illness and the coronavirus pandemic.
Kathy had many wonderful attributes, but will be remembered primarily as a gentle, loving person who radiated warmth and empathy and enjoyed a cold beer or a nice glass of wine with friends and loved ones. She loved animals, cared deeply about the environment, enjoyed shopping and dressing stylishly, and cherished her grandchildren.
There will be a celebration of life planned for a later date. Donations in Kathy’s name to St. Alban's Boys and Girls Club or Canadian Cancer Society would be welcomed by the family.
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