Meet Legacy Society Member Millie Arnold
Millie and Don Arnold’s almost 27 years of marriage began thanks to a chance encounter. Don was a manager of a local grocery store in Piqua, Ohio where Millie stopped in to pick up supplies for a Vocational Home Economics class. They became friends and kept in touch for several years before later marrying and moving to Arizona where he worked for General Electric and she worked for a medical management firm. Throughout their marriage, they enjoyed traveling together, wanting to get the most out of life.
In September 1998, Don was diagnosed with Bulbar Onset ALS. Don and Millie both accepted the diagnosis from the beginning, with Don wanting to live life to the fullest for as long as he had. To learn more about living with ALS, they began attending a support group provided by the Arizona Chapter of the ALS Association.
Don lived a little more than 16 months with ALS, remaining active and mobile until three days before his passing in February 2000. Millie is forever grateful that he was able to pass away on his terms.
After Don’s passing, Millie moved back to her home town of Jackson, Ohio. In 2002, she contacted the Central & Southern Ohio Chapter of The ALS Association and started attending a support group in Dayton. From there, Millie became more involved with the chapter, organizing the first Dayton Walk to Defeat ALS, serving as the Dayton Walk City Chair and ultimately joining the Board of Directors where she would serve as President for four years.
In 2010, almost 10 years after Don passed away, Millie began exploring ways to make a gift to the Association that would also provide security for her and her two younger brothers. After considering her options, Millie decided to use Don’s life insurance policy to fund a Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust. This gift offered a steady income for her and her brothers for life and at their passing, an impactful gift for the Central & Southern Ohio Chapter. When Millie was asked what inspired her to make this gift, she stated “This is my legacy to my husband, Don. This is his legacy”.
Today, Millie continues her and Don’s legacy by serving on The ALS Association’s National Board of Trustees, ensuring the Association responds to the needs of the ALS community through advocacy, care services and research.
