From his son Hardy:

Dad was a disabled veteran from WWII, he was wounded going ashore on Tarawa or Betio Atoll. He was never a resident of Texas; my sister who lived in Texas took care of him in his failing health. We all very much appreciated what she did for him. Sadly he hated Texas and wanted to die in Ms. This was a source of disapointment to him. The only way home for him was with death.

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Services for Thomas Jackson Arnold of Trinidad, Texas, formerly of McCall Creek, are 2 p.m., Monday, Dec. 11, at New Salem Baptist Church in Franklin County with burial in the church cemetery.

Visitation is Sunday, Dec. 10, at 4 p.m. at Brookhaven Funeral Home.

Mr. Arnold, 81, died Friday, Dec. 8, 2000, at East Texas Medical Center in Athens, Texas. He was born in Franklin County on Oct. 21, 1919, to the late Hardy and Annie Wooten Arnold.

He was a retired upholstery trimmer. He was a member of New Salem Baptist Church. He was a Marine Corps veteran of World War II.

Preceding him in death were his parents and wife, Frances Louise Arnold.

Survivors are his sons, Hardy Wayne Arnold of Baton Rouge, La., and Aubrey Harrison Arnold of McComb; daughters, Nancy Arnold Alvarez of Trinidad, Texas, Stacy Arnold Smith of Jackson, Peggy Arnold Richardson of Bahra, Ind., and Sandy Arnold Carlson of Albuquerque, N.M.; brothers, Donald Ray Arnold of McCall Creek and Harrison Arnold of Brookhaven; sisters, Louise Sweeney of Brookhaven, Bobbie King of Prairieville, La., Tinsie Brown of North Carolina, Frankie Miller of California and Annell Gillis of Jackson; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Published in the Brookhaven, Ms internet version of the newspaper, The Daily Leader on Monday, December 11, 2000.