Robert Arnold "Arnie" Poole

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Mr. Robert Arnold “Arnie” Poole, age 85, of Wilkesboro passed away Thursday, January 22, 2026, at Joan & Howard Woltz Hospice Home.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at Reins-Sturdivant Chapel with Rev. Keith Lyon and Mr. Billy Pool officiating. Burial will be in Mountlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 10:00 until 11:00 AM prior to the service at Reins-Sturdivant Chapel.

Arnie was born on April 1, 1940, in Wilkes County to Rev. Charles J. and Cordia Mae Campbell Pool. In his younger days, Arnie worked in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, VA as a shipfitter where he graduated from their apprentice program. Later he was employed at Schneider Mills in Taylorsville in maintenance where he met and married Louise. He also owned his own machine shop which was in Taylorsville as well. His last place of employment was with LP Specialty (formerly Abitibi) in Roaring River retiring as a maintenance supervisor after 20+ years.

He was one of those rare people who could solve the newspaper crossword puzzle, work sudoku puzzles, and play along with Jeopardy. He was a man that knew something about everything. His brain was full of facts from history, to film, to music; and the music he loved so very much. He tapped his foot to old country and gospel, bluegrass, jazz, and Spanish guitar. His collection of music was immense with many a night spent with the house filled with the sounds of guitar. He was an excellent welder and carpenter. He was an artist of landscape, building a large stone wall by hand that spanned their property, with ivy clinging to lattice archways and hand built wooden furniture all surrounding the weeping willow tree with the handmade wooden swing that was so loved by his grandchildren. Later in life, his medium became acrylics. He painted hundreds of vibrant landscapes and became a part of the local art community. 

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Louise Yates Poole and brothers, Loyd Pool, Bruce Pool and Darrell Poole.

He is survived by daughter; Cindee Poole Long (Martin) of Portsmouth, VA; son, Charles (Chuck) Poole (Holli) of Chesapeake, VA; stepsons, Robert Lee Church Jr. (Vickie) of Wilkesboro, Steven Grant Triplett (Gerri) of Wilkesboro; grandchildren, Jay Skinner, Kevin Skinner (Ashley), Tim Long, Jake Poole, Madelyn Poole, Brooklyn Poole, Nolan Campbell (Julianna), Owen Campbell, Kris Triplett, Ashley Church;  great-grandchildren, Kenzie Skinner,  Addison Skinner, Brady Skinner, Harper Campbell, Madison Grayum, Kutter Triplett, River Church; brother, Billy Pool (Lori) of Archdale and sister-in-law, Rachel Poole of North Wilkesboro.

Flowers will be accepted, or memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, 38105.

Online condolences may be made to www.reinssturdivant.com.

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