He was born to Raymond Sr. and Lucy Thiel on September 6th, 1938 in Sidney, MT where he remained a lifelong resident. Arnold was born the 7th of 13 kids and loved to talk about growing up in a large family. He grew up on a farm and attended a small country school near Sidney.

He came to know the Lord as his Savior at the age of twelve at a tent revival meeting. He met the love of his life, Rose Hackley, at fourteen during youth group and the two were married in Culbertson, MT on July 6th, 1957. Arnold enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of eighteen and was stationed in Incheon, South Korea.

Arnold and Rose were blessed with three children; Gwen in 1958, Charlene in 1961, and Arnie in 1963. After coming back from Korea, Arnold worked for the Holly Sugar Beet Factory and then the Richland County Conservation District. Eventually he started his own land leveling business where he leveled land for irrigation purposes, road building, and dam building. In 1982 he drilled a water well and sold fresh water to the oil companies.

Arnold's greatest joy in his adult life was training Arabian horses. He enjoyed showing them throughout the Upper Midwest for many years.

Arnold was a lifelong member of the Sidney Assembly of God, he loved his church and his Savior. He enjoyed scenic drives and reminiscing about his childhood. He appreciated the great outdoors in all forms and took up hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and four wheeling.

Arnold was preceded in death by his wife, Rose; parents, Raymond Sr. and Lucy; brothers, Chet, Stan, Chuck, Gerald, and Gordon; sisters, Shirley Baxter, Darlene Dolney, and infant sister, Lois “Benny” Coreen Thiel; and daughter-in-law, Laura Thiel.

He is survived by his brothers; Delmer and Raymond Jr.; sisters Barbara Johnson and Janice Shipp; three children, Gwenie (Dennis) Nelson, Charlene (Ron) Cornelius, and Arnie (Stacey) Thiel; grandchildren, Terrance (Nichole) Rohner, Chris (Amy) Thiel, Angie (Ben) Snyder, La Lynda (Zack) Blotsky, Aimee (David) Kamp, Andrea (Vinny) Hayes, and Noah Thiel; and many great and great-great grandchildren. He loved all of his nieces and nephews and enjoyed spending time with them.