Arnold Joseph Orr passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 16, 2021, of natural causes while recovering from a hip fracture in a rehabilitation center. Arn was an amazing human being who had a wonderfully full life. He was born on February 3, 1929 in Beresford, South Dakota as the sixth of seven children to John Wesley Orr and Mabel Halvorson. His family had very little, but their home was full of love. Arnold said of his mother, “She was the most kind and gentle soul who never said an unkind thing about anyone.” Arn replicated his mother’s demeanor by becoming a very loving and giving husband, father, and grandfather.

Arn came from a modest background but he had a tremendous work ethic as well as a personal drive to succeed. He started working at the early age of ten when he shoveled coal from boxcars to help support his family. He worked his way through high school by digging sewage ditches, maintaining a municipal graveyard, setting pins in a bowling alley, and detasselling corn. While earning money for his family, he was also a diligent student athlete.

Arn became the first member of his family to complete high school and was successful in all aspects of life there. He was Senior Class President, wrote for his school newspaper, participated on the debate team, and was the lead in school plays. He was captain of his football and basketball teams playing center for both. He was All-Conference in football his senior year. He was a young man with so many talents and so much potential and tried everything he could to reach his lofty goals.

But unfortunately. his family did not have enough money for him to go to college, so he enlisted in the Marine Corps in July 1947 shortly after high school graduation. One day during morning formation, his commanding officer asked if anyone was interested in taking competitive exams to apply to the Naval Academy. Arn jumped at the chance. Arn had a brilliant mind and studied for the entrance exams on his own. He even bought higher level Math textbooks and taught himself Trigonometry to prepare for the exams. Arn was home on leave in Beresford, SD when the Marine Corps notified him that he had gained admission to Bainbridge Naval Prep School. He was discharged as a Marine Corps Corporal and sworn in as a midshipman on a fleet assignment. He spent a year in Bainbridge and then, in the summer of 1949, Arn entered the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. At the USNA, Arn did not enjoy the rigors of Calculus and Electrical Engineering but he plugged away at his required courses while being named an all-star for the intramural football and lacrosse club teams. Arn graduated from the Naval Academy on June 5, 1953.

In the fall of his sophomore year at the Academy, Arn was set up on a blind date to the Columbia-Navy football game with a sophisticated young lady from New York City name Marjorie (Midge) McSweeney. They had an enchanting courtship and married on July 25, 1953, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City followed by a honeymoon in Nantucket, MA. They then began their adventures as a military couple with Arn having tours at Basic School in Quantico, Camp Pendleton in California, Okinawa, Japan, South Korea, the American Embassy in Beirut Lebanon, Camp LeJeune in North Carolina, the Naval War College in Rhode Island, Fort Bliss in Texas, Headquarters Marine Corps, Vietnam, Okinawa, Pittsburgh, the Naval Material Command, and back to his final tour in Quantico Virginia. Arn’s personal military decorations include the Legion of Merit with Combat V, Meritorious Service medal, Navy Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star.

During his final years as a Marine in the DC area, Arn earned his MS degree in Public Administration from George Washington University in May 1978. Arn retired from the Marine Corps on July 1, 1979, as a Lieutenant Colonel. He then began his second successful career as a database application guru to companies around the DC beltway and to the Marine Corps as a manpower consultant.

While moving from place to place, Arn and Midge raised four daughters: Jamie, Tracy, Becky, and Leslie. Both parents instilled in them their life passions and principles; the four Orr girls all received graduate degrees and had successful professional careers; Arn and Midge were enormously proud parents. Arn and Midge then became the best grandparents ever to Cullen and Kira Pointon, Justin, Kyle and Luke Strang, and Dylan and Ryan Livingstone. Arn and Midge also traveled the world visiting Ireland, Australia, China, Easter Europe, Russia, and the US National Parks. They were constant golfing companions; their golf matches were incredibly competitive and often humorous to witness.

After Midge’s death from breast cancer in May 2007, Arn spent his spare time with his family. He hosted many celebratory and holiday events and enjoyed his time with his children and grandchildren immensely. When his grandchildren were younger, he played on the floor with them, read and drew with them, and even helped them with homework. Arn took them on zoo, airport, park, pool, and ice rink adventures. He helped refine their sports throws, swings, catches, and kicks and went to as many of their games as he could. Arn was a caring grandfather and his grandchildren loved and respected him immeasurably.

Arn spent his later years living a quiet, independent, and fulfilled life. When he was 90, he played a round of 9 holes of golf, was often seen puttering in his gardens, and still went on road trips to see his grandchildren’s’ sporting events. In his later years, he enjoyed visits from family members and watching golf, hockey, and the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel. His favorite meal was a juicy Five Guys burger, a diet Sprite root or A&W beer, and a Haagen-Dazs ice cream bar. He kept his witty, dry sense of humor even as his health began failing. He was genuinely kind and considerate to everyone he met and cherished by all.

Arn was preceding in death by his parents, by his siblings, by Midge, his beloved wife of 53 years, and by his daughter Tracy whom he loved dearly. Arn is survived by his daughter Jamie and her husband Mark Pointon, his daughter Becky and her husband Stu Strang, and his daughter Leslie, his son-in-law Buddy Livingstone, his seven grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. Later this summer, Arn will be interred at the United States Naval Academy Memorial Columbarium beside his wife Midge in a private service.

Roy W. Barber Funeral Home

21525 Laytonsville Rd

Gaithersburg, MD 20882

301-948-3500