John Bernard Arnold III experienced loss early in life, losing his mother at a young age and spending his formative years in foster care. He later served his country in the Navy during World War II.
Arnold’s greatest joy came from bringing laughter to others, as he devoted himself to the art of magic. He never married or had children, and when he passed away on May 6, there was no immediate family to arrange his burial.
However, Terrance O’Keefe from Hanover-Hanson Veteran Services took the initiative to ensure Arnold received a dignified farewell. “We extended an invitation to the entire state, hoping for a strong turnout,” O’Keefe explained.
The response from the community was overwhelming.
“I arrived about an hour before the service, and there were already a hundred people gathered,” shared Erin O’Malley Mandeville.
Mandeville attended in honor of her husband’s 26 years in the Navy. “Every individual deserves to be remembered with respect, especially our veterans,” she stated.
At Arnold’s service, four veterans simultaneously saluted his casket. The priest also offered the crowd a glimpse into who John Bernard Arnold III was as a man, including his love for classical music, chocolate cake and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
“When the priest said that, everyone in the church just kind of laughed a little bit cause he’s a little out of their target demo, but it just made me feel like I knew him,” O’Malley Mandeville said.
Arnold had planned his funeral more than a decade ago, and his instructions were clear: a Catholic Mass, no eulogy. He just wanted people to know that he believed and he served.
When O’Malley Mandeville walked up to Arnold’s casket, she got emotional.
“I got teary-eyed when I saw him, and he had his Navy hat right there next to him, which I was told he wore proudly every day,” she said. “And I just quietly said, … ‘I hope wherever you are, you can see this. Because it’s beautiful.’”
At the cemetery, Arnold was sent off under a cloudless sky with bagpipes and a gun salute. The flag from his casket was given to the man who ran the veterans home where Arnold spent his final years.
And one more twist: The story spread, and Arnold’s great-nephew, Joe Durban, recognized his name and flew to Massachusetts to receive Arnold’s flag and visit his family member’s grave.
Arnold may not have wanted a eulogy, but he got 1,500 souls instead.
