Betty Arnold

God saw you were getting tired and a cure was not to be.

So He put His arms around you and whispered, “Come with me”.

With tearful eyes we watched you suffer, and saw you fade away.

Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating, working hands were placed to rest.

God breaks our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.

Our beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, mother-in-law, aunt, sister and friend, Betty Lue Arnold, returned to her Heavenly Father in the comfort of her home on February 1, 2026, in Farmington, Utah, at the age of 86. A joyous reunion was had on the other side of the veil. While our hearts grieve her loss, we find comfort in believing she was welcomed home by those who went before her.

Betty was born March 12, 1939, in Kanab, Utah to Ellis and Margery Anderson. She grew up in Las Vegas, NV where she developed unshakeable faith and optimism, and the ability to see good in all circumstances and people.

After she graduated from Las Vegas High School, she attended beauty school in Salt Lake City and became a licensed hairdresser and cosmetician in Las Vegas.

She married the love of her life James Neil Arnold, on February 22, 1957, in the St. George Temple. They spent 9 years in Las Vegas, where Neil was a county sheriff, before moving to Nampa, Idaho where they raised their family, while she working as a printing coordinator for Mercy Medical Center.

Neil and Betty had 5 children (better known as the A-team), whom they taught to love God and serve others. Mom was a true disciple of Jesus Christ. A true believer in the gospel of her Savior and Redeemer. Above all else, Mom cherished her family and was the true cornerstone of it. The steady center everyone else leaned on, the heart that held it all together. Mom served in many church callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, including callings in the Relief Society and Young Women Presidencies.

Mom was a safe place for people to land - offering guidance, strength, loyalty and unconditional love. She had a wonderful sense of humor, a bright and beautiful smile, eyes that gave away every emotion she felt, and she gave the very best hugs. Her presence truly did light up the room. To know her was to love her, and to be loved by her was a gift.

Mom spent countless hours at the ball diamond, the basketball court, and the football field supporting and rooting for Neil and Mark, as well as supporting her dear husband as he officiated many of those games. It continued as grandkids and great grandkids got older and took their turns playing.

Each of their children were taught from a young age the value of work. If one of them wanted something that wasn’t a basic necessity, Mom and Dad provided only so much, and the rest was provided from the ‘sweat of thy brow’. Topping corn was a job that was often looked forward to.

Mom lived by the adage, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” She made people feel loved and important, and not just by her, but by God. She naturally followed the Savior’s direction to “love one another” and became dearly loved for it. She was a true exemplar of service. Mom would bake something yummy and then have one of the kids deliver it to the neighbors. This was a kindness for the neighbors yes, but a valuable teaching tool of service she passed along to her children. She was also known for saying, “it tastes better when you share”, which was often used when she wanted the treat you were holding in your hand.

Mom’s home was open to anyone. She welcomed any and all out-of-town families to stay. And you better be prepared to eat if you showed up. She was a master chef in the kitchen and included an extra teaspoon of love in every dish. She shared that love of the kitchen in a recipe book that she tirelessly made for her children and grandchildren. She inspired us all to love, laugh and be kind to others. Her life and teachings will never be forgotten.

Mom faced significant health challenges for decades with quiet strength and grace. She met life’s hardships with resilience, dignity, and an incredible sense of humor, right up to her final hours.

Mom was preceded in death by the love of her life, Neil; their son, Neil Albert; a granddaughter Joanna; a grandson James Neil in infancy; two great grandchildren, Chanelle and Kendryek; her parents, and a brother Darwin Mark in infancy.

She is survived by her four children: Jamie (Jeff) Lang; Cori (Ken) Norton; Mark (Anessa) Arnold; and Dana (Todd) Jones. A daughter-in-law Jennie Staley, brothers Ray (Lyn) Anderson, G W (Shauna) Busch, and a sister Lonnie (Don) Ruesch. Mom and Dad have 25 grandchildren, 57 great grandchildren, 1 great great grandchild, and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 695 South 200 East, Farmington, Utah. Visitation will be on Thursday morning from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the services.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.

A Graveside Service and Interment will be held on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the Hillcrest Memorial Gardens at 15862 Indiana Ave. Caldwell, Idaho.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the humanitarian fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or to the charity of your choice.

Special thanks to the medical team and staff at Lakeview Hospital, Dr. Chad McBride at Utah Cardiology, Dr Ziyi Wang at Oaks Medical Group, and everyone from the CNS Hospice team, for their dedicated and compassionate care. We also wish to express our gratitude to the Priest Quorum of the Farmington 2nd Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for their weekly dedicated service and smiles.