Dr. John Charles Arguelles of Tellico Village, Tennessee, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather passed away on April 28, 2026, at the age of 86.
He was born on April 24, 1940 at St. Francis Hospital in Santa Barbara to Frank and Pearl Arguelles, longtime residents of Santa Barbara.
John graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 1958 and attended George Washington University obtaining a B.S. degree in biology, and was president of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
He then graduated from Georgetown University School of Dentistry, where he was president of Delta Sigma Delta professional dental fraternity. During dental school John worked for the Capitol Hill Police Department in Washington, D.C., on the midnight shift.
John joined the Navy while still in dental school in the Ensign 1925 the early commissioning program. After graduation he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, for three years on active duty in the Navy Dental Corps. John remained in the Naval Reserve for 30 years and retired as a captain.
In 1962 he was formerly married to Janeen Moeller and had two children Lori and David. In 1973 they returned to Santa Barbara from Japan, where he opened his general cosmetic dental practice.
In 1979 they moved to Santa Ynez to raise their children and so John could have and enjoy his horses.
John’s assignments included the Navy Air Reserve at Pt. Mugu, commanding officer Naval Dental Clinic 319, executive officer of 3rd Dental Battalion, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Japan, and as reserve staff dental officer of the Marine Corps on the commandant’s staff at the Pentagon.
He was a member of the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Santa Barbara; he served as a member and chairman of the Harbor Commission and was appointed by former Gov. Pete Wilson to the 19th Agricultural District Board (Earl Warren Showgrounds), also serving as president of the board of directors.
John was a member of several equestrian groups: Santa Barbara Trail Riders, Rancheros Pobres, Los Caballeros and Rancheros Visitadores for more than 48 years.
He was also a 32nd Degree Mason belonging to Trinity Lodge #41 in Washington, D.C., as well as Scottish Rite, Okinawa Consistory.
In 1991 he married Dianne Hallsted, and between them they shared five children, 10 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Dianne matched John’s love for adventure and travel, so there were not many places they had not visited. John also loved sailing off the coast of Maine and the Bahamas.
Over the years he enjoyed bicycling with his friends in Santa Barbara, with the W.L.P.A. where he gained the name “Crash” which was written up in a Santa Barbara News-Press story.
John especially loved entertaining friends at their home Casa Contenta in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, or just relaxing and enjoying the company of his wife alone.
In 2019 John and Dianne made a major move to Tellico Village on Tellico Lake, where they loved to go boating, attend raft-offs, enjoy good friends and golf.
John was elected president of the Tellico Village New Villagers, then was elected to a three-year term on the Property Owners’ Association of Tellico Board of Directors. This was one of his passions and a way to give back to the private community of more than 6,000 homes.
John was a past president of the Los Fiesteros Dance Club in Santa Barbara; and a proud member of Pescatores, of which his father was a founding member.
He was a member of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club; the Marine Memorial Club in S.F., and a former 35 year member of the University Club of Santa Barbara.
John is survived by his devoted and loving wife Dianne, of 35 years; daughter, Lori Arguelles of Waldorf, Maryland; son David Arguelles (Tanya) of Paso Robles, California; stepdaughter Holly Hennike Kemsley (Marjorie) of Honolulu, Hawaii; stepsons Jeff Hennike of Lake Norman, North Carolina, and Craig Hennike (Cyndi) of Benicia, California; grandchildren Austin, Bennett and Colton Arguelles, Cadi (deceased) and Delaney Cox, Brooke Kemsley Jacobsen, Kelsey Kemsley, Paige Kemsley Shaw and Claire Kemsley, Hayden and Harper Hennike; and six great-grandchildren of Honolulu and Bozeman, Montana.
John’s infectious smile demonstrated his love for life, his wife, his family, adventure and travel, good tequila, ice cream, and a big bowl of French fries — only with ketchup.
This amazing and much-loved man will be missed by many.