Michele Ann Arno

Michele Ann Arno, Ryderwood, WA, passed away on January 17, 2025. 

Michele was born to Betty and Stanley Eby on January 25, 1944 in Tehachapi, CA.  At a young age Michele's parents separated leaving her to be raised by her aunt and uncle, Helen and Ernie Pence.  She graduated from Anderson High School in Anderson, CA in 1961.  She attended City College of San Francisco for one year.

Nursing became Michele's call in 1968 and she went through the  LVN Program at Santa Rosa Junior College.  While in school, a coworker invited her to go on a blind date with an Army guy, and she met the love of her life, Lewis (Lew) Arno.  They married in 1970.  She worked full time to put him through school while they lived in Modesto, CA, raising 4 girls.

In 1976, Lew took a job with the Siskiyou County Office of Education working in Dunsmuir, CA .  Michele signed on to work at Mercy Medical Center in Mt Shasta.  The demands of the job had Michele looking for something else so she could be with her family more.  She became a school bus driver, giving her the same schedule as her kids. She drove the Dunsmuir Elementary school bus for 28 years with many adventures including a drive to the Mexican border to get the school band to La Paz, Mexico.  Another school trip had her driving the bus around San Francisco, she loved the students and her bus driving stories. She prided herself on her “law and order”- style and occasionally reminded others that she was the one who decided whether or not school would be canceled for a snow day, which she didn’t do very easily.  

Michele frequently thought of going back to school and as the kids left she attended College of the Siskiyous. She obtained her AA degree in 1990.  She also followed holistic medicine supplements, and was very knowledgeable about herbs, vitamins, and minerals.

In 2006, after surviving cancer, Michele and Lew moved to the retirement town of Ryderwood WA, to be closer to three of their daughters.  Moving meant Michele would miss hiking up Castle Crags on Mother's Day but she had many joys in life including her dogs, RV travels, and in her later years, Red Hats.  She liked to have fun and was Queen Mum for five years.  She felt there should always be a club where you just had fun.  

Michele is survived by her husband of 55 years, Lew, and daughters, Teresa Beatty (Eddie) of Ft Jones, CA; Julia Arno (Steven Hoffman) of San Rafael, CA; Jennifer Henry (Bryan) of Rainier, WA; and Megan Nichols (Calvin) of Arlington, WA; her grandchildren: Joshua, Nicolas, Ellie, Ben, Clara, Sophia, Victoria, Nikolai, and Katarina; and two great-grandchildren, Boden and Brayla.

The family will hold a graveside service at a later date.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Michele Ann Arno, please visit our floral store.