Patricia "Pat" Duke Bennett Arnold

Funeral Services for Patricia “Pat” Duke Bennett Arnold, 83, will be held at 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, June 29, 2021, at St. Paschal Catholic Church in West Monroe, LA, with Fr. Frank Coens officiating. Interment will follow St. Paschal Catholic Church Cemetery in West Monroe, LA.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M., Monday, June 28, 2021, at Mulhearn Funeral Home, West Monroe.

Known to family and friends as “Pat” or “Patsy”, she was born in Monroe, LA, to Robert and Leotta Duke. Her family moved to Conway, Arkansas, where she grew up and graduated from Conway High School in 1955. Over the years, she remained in touch with her classmates and dearest friends and attended her high school class reunions as often as she could.

She attended Nursing School at St. Vincent’s Infirmary in Little Rock, Arkansas. She returned to Monroe and married Robert Bennett in 1956. They raised two daughters and were married for 27 years until his passing in 1983. In 2007, she married Hartley Arnold. They enjoyed traveling in their RV and living in Clear Lake, Texas. They were married for five years until his passing in 2012.

She was employed as an Administrative Assistant in the Pulp Mill and later in the Engineering Department at Riverwood International, now Graphic Packaging, and retired after 30+ years of service. She was one of the first employees to complete a certification course as an Engineering Technician that was being offered at the facility.

For over forty years, she was actively involved in Epsilon Sigma Alpha International Sorority (ESA), where she served in several offices and committees including state president, chapter president and Parliamentarian on the International Council. Her greatest passion was volunteering her time and energy to one of their philanthropic projects, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. As a volunteer for ALSAC, the fund-raising organization for the hospital, she would travel around the country presenting programs about St. Jude’s research efforts and treatment in fighting childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

She is preceded in death by her husbands, Robert A. Bennett and Hartley H. Arnold; her parents, Robert W. Duke and Leotta Patton Duke Korn; and stepfather, R.A. Korn.

Survivors include her daughters, Roslynn Bennett Pogue (Allan) of West Monroe, LA, and Ashley Bennett Perkins (Richard) of Franklin, TN; brother, Bobby Duke (Nancy) of Hot Springs, AR; sister, Lyda Korn Young (Gary) of Crowley, TX; grandchildren, Allison Pogue Canal (John-Cody), and Amy Leigh Pogue; great grandchild, Cohen Robert Canal; several nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended stepfamily.

Pallbearers will be Randy Duke, Kenner Patton, Charles Booth, Shane Massey, Brandon Wilder, and Ritchie Hambuchen. Honorary Pallbearers will be Joe Phillips, Ed Rowan, Todd White, and Bobby Avery.

The family wishes to thank the staff, nurses, aides and the physical therapy group at St. Joseph Assisted Living and Nursing Facility for their wonderful care, love, and services to her. For eight years, she was a friend and “Mom” to so many there. She loved them and they loved their “Ms. Pat” or “Ms. Arnold”. The family also wishes to thank the medical and nursing staff of St. Francis Medical Center and the Louisiana Palliative Care and Hospice nurses for their exceptional care and treatment of our Mother.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.