Grace E. Arnold

Grace E. Arnold, 83, of 648 Cedar Road, St. Marys, passed away Tuesday, December 28, 2021, at Penn Highlands Elk after a brief illness.

She was born July 1, 1938, in St. Marys, daughter of the late Jerome and Catherine Hasselman Erich.  Grace was a graduate of Central Catholic High School, Class of 1956.  She was a lifelong resident of St. Marys and took great pride in her work with Erich Rental, Inc., a company that her father started and one in which she contributed to up until her passing. 

She is survived by her twelve children: Coleen Kronenwetter (Steven) of Weedville, Ann Ulrich (Jamie) of Woodland, PA, Kathryn Collins (Gordon) of Hickory, NC, Duane Bucher (Nancy) of St. Marys, Edward Bucher (Lesa) of St. Marys, James Arnold (Chris) of Marietta, GA, Rita Schaefer (Harry) of West Jefferson, NC, Karen Scull (George) of Kersey, Joseph Arnold (Andrea) of Fort Washington, PA, William Arnold of St. Marys, Laura Claypool (Brian) of St. Marys, and David Arnold (Karen) of North Wales, PA; by 34 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren; and by her brother Harold Erich (Betty) of Emporium.

Grace was blessed with two loving husbands in her life.  Her first husband, Edward J. Bucher, an appliance repairman, ditch-digger and square dance caller, preceded her in death on Easter Sunday, March 26, 1978.  Her second husband, Norbert A. Arnold, a powder metal guru, author and designer, preceded her in death on April 4, 2014.  Along with her parents, Ed, and Norb, she was preceded in death by a brother, Jerome Erich, and a grandson, Seth Kronenwetter.

Grace was a devout Catholic and a woman of deep faith.  She loved all her family and put nothing above them except perhaps her faith.  She was a member of Queen of the World Church and a contributing member to our community.  She loved family vacations, her yard and flowers, enjoyed square dancing with the Bells of St. Marys, “advising” family members on what golf clubs to use, and was an avid & skilled card player – a bi-weekly 500 Bid player for over 60 years.   She was so excited with a good hand and woe be it if you messed up her bid no matter the game…or rolled better dice in Shut-the-Box.  She adored Hallmark movies and was an avid Pirates and Steelers fan.  She will be truly missed by all.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the Queen of the World Church on Friday, December 31, 2021, at 11:00 AM, with the Rev. Jeffery Noble, Pastor, officiating. The service will be livestreamed on the Queen of the World Facebook page.   Burial will follow in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.

There will be no visitation.

Memorials, if desired, may be made to Queen of the World Church, 134 Queens Road, St. Marys, PA  15857.