While at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., he married Mary Kay Stack. They were married 50 years as of this Sept 28, 2018. In summers between teaching at mountain schools in California, they would take off for notable adventures in the Tetons, being part of that early climbing community. One summer found them bicycling across Europe to Turkey, then on to India via bus. Drew enjoyed rock climbing, mountaineering, backpacking, alpine and Nordic skiing, mountain biking, scuba diving, ice and fly-fishing, flower and plant identification and birdwatching.
Both Drew and Mary studied for masters in botany and recreational education at the University of Wyoming. After a born-again conversion to Christ in 1974, Drew went to Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he got a Master of Divinity in theology. Returning to Wyoming in 1981, Drew worked as an assistant pastor in Casper. He then felt a call to Laramie to start a church in the Foursquare denomination, calling it Harvest Church. He also started the Christian outdoor education program (SROM) at this time. In 1998, after nine years with progressive multiple sclerosis and his strength diminished, Drew relinquished his pastor role at Harvest Church and devoted all his time to SROM, with his son Andrew Arnold, who is director of the thriving ministry to this day. In 2011, needing fulltime care and warmer weather, Drew made a bold move to Mexico. While in Mexico, Drew continued to have tremendous impact on the people around him and transcended his physical limitations with a genuine faith and commitment to live life fully to the end. He added to his life list of 1,100 birds, helped to found a Christian school and fund raise for local kids to attend, advocated for wage increases of the workers at Los Labradores (and saw their salaries double), mentored and discipled many and played host to a steady stream of visitors. As well as all these outward activities, he developed the life of the Christian contemplative, something he considered his most important work. The fields he labored in have produced lasting fruit, to the glory of Jesus, his Savior. Many lives have been touched by his words, his actions, his patience in trial, in short, his very remarkable life.
He is survived by wife, Mary Arnold; brothers, George, Joe and Peter Arnold; sister Felicia Cameron; children, Andrew Arnold (m. Jesse Harmon) and Amy (m. Josh Horak); and six grandchildren, Isabel, Sara and Andrew Flynn Arnold and Annika, Adalyn and Alyse Horak.
He is preceded in death by father George Arnold; mother Ellen Pearson; stepmother Sheila Arnold; and stepbrother Mike Young.
Memorial services are pending.
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