James Donald Arnold III

James Donald (Donny) Arnold III was born in Dallas, Tx, on June 7, 1941, to James Donald Arnold II and Bettye Sue Arnold. Donny passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones on December 28, 2024.

Donny proudly served as a Radioman in the US Navy. After being honorably discharged, he returned home to Dallas where he met and fell in love with his darling wife, Dorothy Carol (Caldwell) Mannichia. They were married Feb 27, 1961 and immediately began to build a family, which was complete by 1969. Donny attended El Centro College where he earned an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts in 1972. He used those skills to succeed in the food service industry by brokering food service accounts with restaurants, hospitals, and school districts.

Donny loved cooking BBQ, watching baseball, movies, or just sitting and reading the newspaper with music playing. He loved spending time with family and friends, especially grandchildren and even great grandchildren. He spent many years beginning in the early 1980s being active in church activities at Beverly Hills Baptist Church in Dallas, TX. This involvement led him to begin a street and prison ministry that touched the lives of many, many people over the years.

James D Arnold III would best be described as a people person. He loved to please people, even if it meant giving the shirt off his back (which he has done). Donny is preceded in death by his brother, Johnny Arnold, his beautiful wife of 60 years, Dorothy Carol Arnold, his mother, Bettye Sue Fortner, his father, James Donald Arnold II, and his grandmother, Ruby Grissom.  He is survived by his 5 sons, Jimmy, Gary, Tony, Stephen, and Craig; 17 grandchildren, and 23 great grandchildren and growing.

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2025 at Jeter & Son Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas at 2:30 P.M.