Milton Nass Arnesen was born on November 29, 1922, to Chris and Olga Arnesen of Tottenville, NY. After graduating from Tottenville High School, Milton went to Duke University in Durham, NC, where he sang in the choir and majored in English. During his senior year at Duke, right after Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the Navy. He came back to NY to attend Midshipmen’s School at Columbia University and then shipped out to the Pacific for the duration of the war. He was a naval officer and commander of LCT 1033. One of Milt’s favorite songs was: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” a fitting favorite since he came back through San Francisco on his return from the Pacific and always remembered looking up at the Golden Gate Bridge. He returned to Duke for one semester and met Elenore Miller, nicknamed Jinx, of Long Island, who later became his wife. They were married for 67 years until her death in 2018.
Milt started his career in advertising at J. Walter Thompson in New York City and then later moved into sales and marketing with Hunt Foods. The Arnesens moved more than 14 times in their early marriage and lived in New Jersey, Memphis, New Orleans, Maryland and Philadelphia. After leaving Hunt Foods, Milt had his own food brokerage business. He was a dedicated family man, enjoyed golf, sailing, singing in a barbershop quartet as well as in Methodist Church choirs and loved to travel.
In early retirement, the Arnesens lived in Mont Clare, PA, had a vacation home in Cedar Key, FL, and later moved to Sterling, VA, to live near their daughter Kristy Arnesen Pullen. They enjoyed traveling, especially to visit their four children and their spouses, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. After Jinx died in May of 2018, Milt moved to Mayo Continuing Care in Northfield, VT, to be near his other daughter, Laura Arnesen, who lives in Warren.
Milt died on September 22, 2020, after a short decline. He will always be remembered as a kind and creative man who had a great attitude toward life. He lived a long and full life and was loved by many. In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution to Duke Chapel Choir, www.gifts.duke.edu/chapel or WWII Foundation.
