Laura Jean Morrell Arnal, 86, died at home quietly surrounded by loved ones, Nov. 18 , 2020 in Clayton Ga.. She was born in Iowa City, where she resided for 18 yrs. She met her husband James A. Arnal in San Diego Calif. while he was in the U.S. Navy and married in Bremerton, Wa., February 9, 1957.
She has resided in Iowa, California, Florida and Georgia. While in Iowa, she worked in fashion advertising at the Cedar Rapids Gazette. In Los Angeles, Calif. she worked as an emergency switchboard operator and in veterinary hospitals. She was the founder of a Garden Club in Santee, Calif. She retired in Florida from the Broward County School Board, where she worked as a high school administrator and the Adult & Technical Education in Administration.
She was a member of St. Helena Catholic Church and served as President, Vice President and Treasurer of the Alter Society and served on the Parish Council and Capital Fund. She was a member of Rabun County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, T.O.P.S. as a Treasurer, and a lifetime member of the Disabled American Auxiliary, was a volunteer for the Community Pantry, AARP Tax preparation. She sang with the Community Coral. She also attended North Georgia Technical School for Spanish. She was a self-taught artist. She has traveled to Belgium, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, and all the U.S. states.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, James A. Arnal, her parents Raymond & Edna Morrell, her son, Glen J. Arnal, her half brothers, Donald Dumas, Richard Trask and her half sister Eula Hickson.
She is survived by her daughter, Raylinn M. (Richard) Smith, four grandchildren, Jennifer L. (Veronica) Laos-Smith, Christopher A. Smith, Sheila M (Kyle) Creech and Shawn A Smith and great-granddaughter, Reese P. Laso-Smith and numerous nieces and nephews, both in the U.S. and Belgium.
The family requests memorials be sent to: St Helena Catholic Church, P.O. Box 534 Clayton, Ga. 30525
Beck Funeral Home, in Clayton, Georgia, is in charge of the arrangements. If there are any questions, please call 706-782-9599. An online Memorial Register Book is available at www.beckfuneralhome.com.