Thousand Oaks, CA - David Del Arnold passed away peacefully at home in Thousand Oaks, California, on August 5, 2025, just after sunrise, surrounded and loved by family and friends as he took his last breath. He was 67 years old and had faced a long and difficult fight with heart failure and other serious health challenges with quiet strength.

Ever an altruist, David devoted his life to helping others. In the Philippines and Southern California, he was a proud member of charitable organizations whose missions he cared deeply about. Through Koreh LA, a project of the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, he helped children learn to read and received a Certificate of Recognition for his work. As an active member of Rotary International, he championed the idea for a Chocolate Festival, which grew into a tremendously successful annual event still enjoyed by the community years later. With the Lions Clubs, where he served as President, he helped organize health fairs that provided dental care, vision services, and basic medical support to those who could not otherwise afford them.

David's contributions to the community also extended through his creative work. For years, he created beautifully illustrated fun maps through his company, The Artistic Touch, capturing cities and organizations across Southern California as lasting tributes to the community he lived in. It was work he poured himself into and did out of love.

David's generosity extended beyond formal organizations. He was a constant supporter of his sister's work in synagogue youth programming and never said no when asked to help. Whether it meant leading activities for USYers and their special needs buddies, attending events, or simply stuffing envelopes to get a project done, David was always there.

An avid Trekkie, storyteller, and gamer, David had a deep love for comic books, Star Trek, short stories, plays, and movies. He could recall any actor from any film and loved nothing more than sharing that joy with the people around him. In his final days, he said what he most wanted was to watch movies with the people he loved. He also found joy in sharing stories in other ways, whether reading to children, introducing his family to books and shows he treasured, and inviting others to explore new adventures with him. Star Trek's vision of a future where differences are valued, people work together toward something better, and even the most alien are treated as equals was one he often spoke about and deeply believed.

He believed in that vision. He believed in the good in people, even when it cost him. David often said, "If someone asks for your help, you help them. And if they ask for something and it will cost you, find out what it will cost and help them anyway." His generosity and compassion left a mark on everyone he encountered. His love was as big as his oversized heart, and in his final act of giving, he donated his body to the UCLA medical program.

A memorial service was held at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California, on August 13, 2025.

He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Ruiz Arnold; his children, Shannon Arnold and her husband, Steven Cento, Benjamin Arnold, Jacqueline Arnold, and his sister, Merrill Alpert.