One of the “Greatest Generation,” Ugo D. Arnoldi passed away from pneumonia and dementia on Tuesday Nov. 24, 2015 at Mission Terrace, where he was known as Pajarito (Song Bird) or Papa.
He was born March 15, 1925, in Santa Barbara. He was the son of Giuseppe “Joe” and Ilda Arnoldi, both of whom are deceased.
Ugo grew up on the Eastside of Santa Barbara. He went to Franklin Elementary School, Santa Barbara Junior High School and Santa Barbara High School, Class of 1944.
Ugo played on the Don’s football team and also was on the Don’s track team. During a meet in 1943, the lanky ace hurdler garnered the 120-yard high hurdles and the 120-yard low hurdles in respectable times, and went on to take the hop-skip-jump event with a leap of 39 feet 6 inches.
He then ran the 440-yard relay. That day he took two first places and a point and one-half for winning the relay. Ugo was the Track Athlete of the Year for Santa Barbara High School in 1943.
Ugo was drafted into the U.S Army on June 9, 1943, during World War II, just two weeks before he was to graduate from high school. His first assignment upon landing in France was a machine gunner in the back of reconnaissance jeep.
He recalled the breaking out of Normandy, and also was on the front lines of the Battle of the Bulge.
He was under the direction of General George S. Patton, Third Army, 2nd Calvary — they were known as “The Ghost of Patton’s Army.”
Ugo was discharged Jan. 10, 1946, from Fort MacArthur as a corporal.
Ugo was a life member of Santa Barbara Elks #613, Bricklayers & Allied Craft Workers Local No. 4, and Amvets of California.
Ugo loved to hunt, fish and bowl. Ugo started bowling in 1952, he bowled at Figueroa Bowl, Barbara Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, San Marcos Bowl/Lanes and Orchid Bowl.
He bowled his first 300 game on July 7, 1961, during open bowling at Fiesta Bowl. He bowled his first sanctioned league 300 on Feb. 15, 1963, at Fiesta Bowl.
For over 10 years Ugo held the highest game of 299 bowled at Orchid Bowl in 1971.
In 1963, he and four members that were on the Arnoldi’s Masonry team held the highest score bowled by five men. It was tied by another team in 1986, and some years later broken by another team. During the 1973 City Bowling Tournament, he won first place in four events.
Ugo worked side by side with his father and partner, Joe Arnoldi. He was a masonry contractor for over 50 years. They owned Arnoldi’s Masonry.
He did stone work all over Santa Barbara, Hope Ranch, Montecito, Santa Paula, Goleta, Santa Maria, Cachuma Lake and Santa Ynez Valley.
No matter where we go, we will always see the beautiful hard labor of work that a true stonemason who uses a chisel and a single jack hammer built.
Ugo would say, “Stonemason work can’t be duplicated — it’s like putting a puzzle together, making sure that all the pieces fit just perfect.”
In his mind, he was still doing stonework, his hands always working up until his death.
He also did bartending at the family restaurant Arnoldi’s Café, and served as the bookkeeper for both businesses.
When his daughter and son attended Santa Barbara Junior High and Santa Barbara High School, he and his wife chaperoned many dances and band events.
Ugo married the love of his life, Anne Marie Acerboni (Barbisan) at the Santa Barbara Old Mission on Dec. 26, 1948. Anne preceeded him in death on April 15, 2005. They are together once more.
He leaves behind his daughter, Jeanette Marie Arnoldi-Schall (Wally); his son, Ugo “Butch” Arnoldi (Marla); three grandsons, Tim Arnoldi Brown, Bobby Arnoldi Brown and Giuseppe Arnoldi; one granddaughter, Francesca Arnoldi; and his little sweetie great-granddaughter, Annie Lynn Brown.
He also is survived by numerous cousins in California, Nevada, Colorado and Italy, and his extended family at Mission Terrace, where he has lived for almost four years.
A special thank you to Adrienne DePonce-Bates and Dale Ramirez.
In lieu of flowers, please donate in memory of Ugo D. Arnoldi to Alzheimer’s Association, 1528 Chapala St., Santa Barbara 93101, or Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care, 512 E. Gutierrez St., Suite A, Santa Barbara 93103; or to a favorite charity.
Visitation will be held Friday, Dec. 4, 2015, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Welch-Ryce-Haider, 15 E. Sola St. Mass will be Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady Of Sorrows Church 21 E. Sola St., immediately followed by military graveside service at Calvary Cemetery, 199 N. Hope Avenue, Santa Barbara, California.
Arrangements are under the direction of Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapels.