Obit – Mr. Arnold Rich
The longtime Pleasant Shade District 8 Fire Chief, Mr. Arnold Rich, was pronounced deceased at the age of 65 at his Sloan Branch Road home at 9:50 a.m. Monday morning May 13, 2024 by Gentiva Hospice of Livingston who had been lovingly assisting the Rich family with Arnolds care. He transitioned to his heavenly home at 7:45 a.m. with his wife of over forty four years at his bedside singing and reading to him the 23rd Psalm, after he had gallantly endured an eight-year battle with multiple myeloma with which he was diagnosed in September of 2016.
Funeral Services were conducted on Saturday afternoon, May 18th at 3:00 PM at First Baptist Church Gordonsville. His son-in-law, Bro. Ryan Rogers and Bro. Joe West officiated. Interment in the Gordonsville Cemetery followed with his Pastor, Bro. Brandon Patton officiating.
He was born Joseph Arnold Rich at the former Petty Green Clinic in Carthage on August 9, 1958 and was the eldest of four children, three sons and a daughter of the late Joseph Taylor “Joe” Rich who died at the age of 86 on April 14, 2022 and Melba Sue Brooks Rich who died at the age of 79 on April 18, 2020.
In his earlier years, he worked at the family-owned country store, Rich Grocery in the Pleasant Shade Community.
He was a 1976 graduate of Smith County High School where he majored in agriculture and mathematics, and was in the V. I. C. A. Club his senior year and the Pep Club his freshman year.
Upon graduation, he went to work for his father at Rich Lumber Company where he served as sawmill foreman until his retirement in 2020.
While working at the mill, he served on the Pleasant Shade Volunteer Fire Department from 1989 until his retirement in 2019 due to his cancer. He served as the fire chief from 2006 until 2019.
Also, from 1989 through 2022, he worked for Century 21, Carmen Real Estate, and Poindexter Realty as an affiliate agent. During his retirement, he enjoyed working part time with his brothers and nephew at family-owned Macon Lumber Company driving a loader.
In October of 1978, he met his soulmate, Gordonsville native, the former Deborah Kay (Debbie) Bush, and they were united in marriage on December 30, 1979 at First Baptist Church Gordonsville by the late Eld. J. C. Austin.
Their passion was going to southern gospel singing concerts and going to the movies.
Together, they have two daughters: Dr. Amy Leigh Rich Rogers, PhD and husband Ryan of South Carthage, Dr. JoBeth Rich McCoy and husband Dustin, of Watertown. His pride and joys were his two grandchildren, Janie Mai Rogers and Colin McCoy who called him “Grandpa.”
Arnold’s values were strong when serving the Lord. He was saved in a revival at the Pleasant Shade Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1974 and became an active deacon in that church. In 2001, his family moved their membership to First Baptist Church Gordonsville where he served as a deacon from 2022 to present.
He enjoyed teaching the young children in RAs. He and Debbie loved to serve the Lord by working in the children’s department, which is now known as Kingdom Kids. His vision was to have a safe place for children of all ages to play at First Baptist Gordonsville.
Surviving in addition to his wife and two daughters are his three siblings, a sister, Jocella Rich Halliburton and husband Todd, two brothers, Jerry Rich and wife Becky all of the Pleasant Shade Community, Jackie Rich and wife Sherry of Red Boiling Springs. Also, he loved his second family, the Bushes, and all of his nieces and nephews.
The family has requested memorial to either the Pleasant Shade Fire Department or the First Baptist Church Gordonsville, Kingdom Kids.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
