The daughter’s of Bill Arnett want you to know that our sweet “Daddy” left this earth on Monday, June 13, 2016. He was born on December 22, 1928 and was 87 at the time he was reunited with our mama in heaven. He lived a full and happy life and contributed much to our “home city” of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Our father was born in Harrington, Kansas and lived many places during the depression but landed at age 10 in Tulsa. Bill Arnett graduated from Will Rogers High School, Class of 1946. He then attended OBU and TU before enlisting in the US Navy during the Korean War. His father, Charles Burton Arnett and mother Mildred Belle Engle Arnett lived in “midtown” beginning in 1938 close to Tulsa Greenhouse where his father went to work. Tulsa Greenhouse was a mainstay in the florist community and the greater community since 1906. Our grandfather and his sons Rex, Keith & Bill all worked at Tulsa Greenhouse, Four State Wholesale and Bill Arnett would eventually own and become President of “our family business”. Bill Arnett married our “wild and fun loving” mother, Louise Meredith Terrill in 1950 and started the family that now numbers 52 and growing. Bill Arnett was also very active in the Downtown Lions Club where he was a Past President. Our father was awarded many accolades during his life culminating in the highest honor of the Wholesale Florist and Florist Suppliers of America, the L.T.K. Award in San Diego in 1986. He operated successful businesses of five retail florist stores in Tulsa, three wholesale houses and one growing facility that spanned Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. Bill Arnett held many local and state offices in the Oklahoma & Missouri State Florist Associations. What we remember most is our father loved fresh flowers and was an expert in growing them as well.
We would love Tulsa to know that he was the best father in our world and taught us to love each other as well as the family he held so dear. He was most proud of his daughters and their wonderful spouses and his grandchildren. Pam Morgan of Plano, Texas (husband Bob), Cindi Hemm of Broken Arrow, Ok (husband Jeff), Kim Hull of Broken Arrow, Ok (husband Tom), Patty Arnett of Siloam Springs, AR (partner Melissa), former husband Brad Gambill. His 12 grandchildren are blessed with many, many good memories of a wonderful, loving grandfather: Brenna, Rob, Jeff, Bill, Katie, Kenny, lil Cindi, Josh, Jenny, Lindsey, Tucker & Will. Bill Arnett’s legacy of love will continue with his 19 great grandchildren as well.
Our father taught us many things but most of all he taught us how to love well, as he did our mama for 60 years. Bill Arnett loved the outdoors especially Grand Lake where he resided for the past 10 years and was an active member of South Grand Lake Christian Church. His neighbors and many friends will be raising a glass of red wine in his honor at Lakeview Supper Club where he spent many evenings in the past 5 years. The glass he raises now will be in communion with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Tulsa is a wonderful place to raise a family. Our father made many contributions to our community as well as the floral industry. Tulsa Greenhouse trained many florists in Tulsa, as he gave many young people, family and friends their first job. To all of us he was just the very best Daddy a girl could ask for or want. We were fortunate to have been raised in a strong, functional family and we will now carry on his tradition of love that began on that winter day in December 1928. Please – in honor of our father……..send flowers to someone you love!
Love Bill’s four “bossy” daughters !!
