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March 16, 1946 – May 1, 2023

NATCHEZ — Memorial services for Alfred Dwight Arnold will be at Parkway Baptist Church Natchez, MS Saturday, May 13, 2023. Visitation at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. Private burial for the family at Cranfield Cemetery.

Alfred Dwight Arnold, 77, of Hattiesburg, MS, entered into God’s Kingdom on May 1, 2023.  He was born on March 16, 1946, in Natchez, Mississippi. Dwight was one of ten children to the late Artie and Floyd Arnold, Sr.

Dwight graduated from Natchez High School in 1966 then worked a year at Diamond National. In 1967 he enlisted in the Navy and served four years as a 3rd class machinist mate on the USS John Paul Jones.  While serving in the Vietnam War, he traveled the world over, twice, seeing many foreign countries and encountering numerous cultures. His stories of his time there were always captivating; even though he did experience the traumas of war as well. At his honorable discharge, he had climbed the ranks to 3rd class Petty Officer. In 1971 he went to work as a maintenance mechanic at Jefferson Davis Hospital.  Then in 1972, he left to work at International Paper Mill Company as a millwright and maintenance analyst. There he remained until his retirement in 2002 to care for his first wife, Karen, who was terminally ill.

Upon marrying Linda in July 2004, he gained a daughter, Jennifer, son-in-law, Michael, Sr., and granddaughter, Mary Kathyrn. In December 2004 his first grandson, Michael II, was born prematurely. Without trepidation, having had no children previously, Dwight took a hands-on approach, tending to this tiny baby to keep him out of daycare. In 2008, he again jumped in without hesitation to help care for his grandson, Nicholas. Dwight was the epitome of a doting husband and Poppa. There was not a project too big, a toy or other object so broken that he could not build or fix. He was the best birthday cake maker, and everyone knows his chocolate-covered cherries were the best around. He often sewed and patched clothes, but most importantly he always said he “could even fix broken hearts if we allowed it.”

Dwight was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd, Sr and Artie; first wife, Karen Golman; brothers, Acey, Rodney, Charles, Floyd, Jr., and Jerome and sisters, Agnes and Janette.

He leaves behind his wife of 19 years, Linda; daughter, Jennifer Mascagni (Michael); three grandchildren, Mary Kathryn Wilson (Brandon), Michael Mascagni, II, and Nicholas Mascagni all of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; sister, Shirley McCallister (Barney); brother, Terry Arnold (Kim), and numerous nieces and nephews.

Dwight was a member of Parkway Baptist Church in Natchez. He and Linda helped lead the Griefshare program there for several years. After moving to Hattiesburg in 2022, they attended Temple Baptist Church.  Dwight and Linda were blessed to receive love and support from both church families and their many friends and neighbors throughout their 19 years, but especially this past year.

In Lieu of Flowers, the family asks that donations be made to pancan.org (pancreatic cancer action network) in Memory of Alfred Dwight Arnold.