Obituary of George R. Arney

George Richard Arney, Junior, Age 91, passed away on January 23, 2016. Born in Cape Vincent, NY, June 19, 1924, George was the son of George and Georgetta (Garlock) Arney. He is survived by his sister Elsie Parsons of Sodus, son Chris (married to Sue Skopek) of West Point and daughter JoEllen Arney of Sodus Point; grandchildren Jaye, Kristin, Dan, Lisa, and Katie; great-grandchildren Owen, Sophie, Claire, Norah, and Reese; niece and nephew Patty and Bob Parsons and grand nephews Robby and Douglas McIntosh and G.O. Parsons. George and his family moved to Sodus Point in 1936. He attended elementary school in Sodus Point (Salt Works School), worked at his parents General Store and sailed his small sail boat. He attended high school at the Sodus Central School, playing sports, especially basketball, baseball, and soccer. He graduated from Sodus High in 1942. Shortly thereafter he entered service in the Merchant Marines and as a radio operator made many convoy crossings of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on Liberty ships and tankers. After the war, he returned to Sodus Point where he worked with his father fishing the waters of Lake Ontario and selling fish and bait at Arney’s Fish Market, rented boats at Arney’s Boat Livery, crewed a tug on the canal and Hudson River, ran a bulldozer and did construction work, drove a malt truck for the Genesee Brewing Company, and in 1954 began Arneys Marina by building docks for rent and taking on boat and motor sales. Somewhere in there he found time to show off his athletic talent by playing on semi-pro baseball and basketball teams and lifeguarding at the Sodus Point beach. He married Harriet Smith from Newark in 1948, having met her on the beach during his lifeguard duties. The two of them built the foundation and environmental legacy for Arney’s Marina. They selflessly contributed time to the youth of Sodus Point as coaches and coordinators of the Sodus Point Community Center and its youth services program. George’s concern for the future generations of Sodus Point contributed greatly to the youth of Sodus Point and their development as cooperative citizens of the community. As a natural coach and mentor, he loved the kids of Sodus Point and the role he played in shaping their future. George was a proud, dedicated, and long-serving volunteer at the Sodus Point Fire Department and a member of the Sodus Point Methodist Church. In 1966, he ran for public office and was elected Supervisor for the Town of Sodus. A position he held for 26 years. George Arney was chairman of the Wayne County Board of Supervisors for 7 of those years and was President of several statewide commissions and societies for country legislators and supervisors. George helped the Town of Sodus and County of Wayne grow in business and financially prosper while caring for the health and welfare of all its citizens. He always said he benefited greatly from the nice, competent people he worked with on the Town Board, the County Board, and his collaborators in the State Government. George Arney was a man whose deep concern, ability to get things done, and easy way with people provided him with success in his leadership roles within the community and the State of New York. Sometimes, it seemed George knew nearly every resident of the Town of Sodus and Wayne County. After George retired in 1990, he mainly lived on his boat Terangi II and often took it to Florida for the winters. After selling his boat a dozen years ago, George lived on the corner of Central Avenue and Bayview Drive in the village of Sodus Point. The last few years, as he suffered from dementia (but he still remembered his Morse Code from the World War II service), he was cared for by an amazingly wonderful group of home care providers and friends, while receiving support and help from Sodus Bay Home Care, Lifetime Care and the Veterans Administration. He was grateful for all the good things people did for him. Despite having seen the wonders of the world during his Merchant Marine service and as he traveled throughout New York State and the US during his political and service life, George Arney loved every moment of his time on the shores of Sodus Bay and Lake Ontario. He was a true Sodus Pointer and upstate New Yorker and the son of a fisherman with fishing, boating, working, playing, and storytelling in his blood. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please honor George Arney by donating to your favorite charity to improve care for all who suffer, to support the needy veterans, or to help the indigent or homeless in George’s memory. There will be a private service at the convenience of the family at a later date. Arr: Norton Funeral Home of Sodus.