Arnold (Al) Moser was born on August 12, 1926 to Karl and Mabel Moser in Downers Grove, ILL. His father Karl Moser was the Dean of a boy’s school and taught history at Downers Grove High School he was studying to obtain his PHD.   His mother was Mabel Schwindt Moser.  He has a sister Lenore who resides in Kansas currently.    Al’s father passed away in 1931 when Al was 4 years old due to cancer.   The Great Depression was in full bloom at this time.  His father and mother decided it was best for Mabel and the 2 children to move to Hiawatha, Kansas after his passing.  Al’s father had family there in order to help with the raising of Al and Lenore. 

Al went to school in Hiawatha and graduated from Fairview High School in 1944. He was drafted into the Army during WWII and was a Radio Man (operator) stationed in the Philippines during his stint with the military.

Once he was discharged from the military he returned home to Hiawatha. This is when he met Marjorie Lou O’Grady.  They were married in September 1947.   They moved to Kansas City, MS.  where he enrolled in courses in order to obtain his education to become a flight radio operator for the airlines.  During this time frame his daughter Linda was born on 3/8/1948. 

He went to work with TWA as a flight radio operator flying internationally from 1949 to 1951.   He was stationed in La Guardia Airport, New York.  where he and the family lived on Long Island, NY.   Al tired of this position due to the fact that one of the engines each flight was consistently going out over the Atlantic. (This was back in the 4 propeller engine days)  He decided it was safer on the ground and transferred to Harrisburg, PA as a radio operator on the ground still working for  TWA.  Al moved the family to Columbus, Ohio but after one year he moved them all back to the State of Kansas to the city of Wichita.  He worked at the Wichita airport still with TWA. 

While working with TWA in Wichita Al decided he wanted to become an air traffic controller. He completed this course work in 1957 and began his career as an air traffic controller there at the Wichita airport.  During this time frame his daughter Jane was born on 6/28/57. 

Al and Marge bought a home in Haysville, Kansas near Wichita in 1953.  

Al had taught himself to play the piano in the 1950’s on his mother’s old piano. Al formed and managed a band called the Mark IV Combo.  They played Dixie land jazz and played at night clubs around town.  The piano was one of dad’s passions.  Linda and Jane can still hear him playing it while he was waiting for all the women in the house to get ready to go somewhere.  It calmed him down while waiting. 

Al also had a passion for photography his pictures are absolutely amazing. Each visit to dads you knew one night you would have to watch the slide show of their previous world travels. You would have to wait while one would be sideways or upside down and wait for him to correct it.    Dad would always take pictures of each family member by his ever-growing orange tree.  To date I have never seen one of those pictures nor has any other family member seem them by the orange tree.  He would say no one wants to see those. 

Each summer Al and the family would drive to Estes Park in Colorado. These trips consisted of never being able to stop and go to the bathroom he always wanted to make time.  Later in life he told Linda and Jane he was teaching them discipline.  Two weeks would be spent there depending on the year either in a tent, travel trailer, or staying in cabins.  Al would take the family on hikes everyday always saying “it’s right around the corner” or “let’s see what’s around the corner”.  One year he dragged Linda (16 at the time) up Longs Peak a 14,000 foot mountain  they had to turn around the first attempt as of course dad took the most dangerous route.  They did accomplish it the next summer. This is where dad began his passion for hiking the 10,000 feet high peaks in Colorado.  His goal in life was to get all 52 he ended up with 27.  Hence, he had 2 knee replacements and one completely rebuilt. 

Al worked at the Wichita airport until he transferred to Fullerton Municipal Airport in May 1966.

As life has it Al and Marge got a divorce in 1967.

Al continued working at the Fullerton tower until he transferred to the Santa Barbara, CA. airport in the late 1960’s.

He lived in a small travel trailer for a few years. Al being raised during the great depression also obtained a second job throwing newspapers for the Los Angeles Times.  (dad always had a 2nd job) Jane remembers going with him one early morning and folding the papers in his old beat up truck creaking and squeaking going through the very expensive neighbor hoods in Montecito waking everyone and the dogs up. I never could understand why he did not get phone calls from the paper about the truck LOL. 

Al was able to transfer to the Grand Canyon airport a couple of summers in a row where he would hike the canyon from one end to the other on his off days. He had Jane fly over both summers and dragged her down the canyon the first time only with an orange and a canteen of water. They made it to the bottom where it was like 100+ degrees and Janes zipper stuck on her large jacket and dad had to cut it off.  They have mule stations along the way where you can phone for a mule to come get you and Jane would stand there and Al would say “don’t even think about it keep walking”  Dad would always hike way ahead of you and stop and watch you walk up with binoculars and when you would get close he would take off again. (I think he was reading my lips as I was walking after all Jane was 16 and wanted to be at the California Jam that year.)  Each summer He would also volunteer to hike down to where the river raft tours would end, he would help unload passengers.  In doing so he was then able to ride the BIG rapids out (on a freeby)  Mind you this man was afraid of the water but loved the adventure. 

Al then bought a mobile home in Santa Barbara called Rancho Goleta Park where he lived until June of this year.

Al would use the funds from the 2nd jobs in order to travel.  He was an excellent ping pong player and was the tournament champion on the cruise ships he first started traveling on.  Al use to travel alone with no companion until Dorthea (Dottie)

Dad and Dottie met at the mobile home park they both lived in. Love at first sight for the two.  They were married on May 1, 1979 in Hana, Hawaii on the island of Maui.  In usual dad style they found a small chapel and were told the pastor was working on a vehicle over at a garage.  They tracked him down he rolled out from under a car and he said he needed to shower and to meet them back at the church.  Dad and Dottie drove up a hill changed their clothes outside (could find anywhere else) and drove back down and were married for 40 years.   

From then on, they traveled the world together. Dad and Dottie have been inseparable and always at each other’s side.

With this marriage Dottie brought dad a stepdaughter April and April’s daughter Corrina.

Dad retired from air traffic controlling twice he loved his job and he loved to work.  Al also played the piano as he would say (he had to go play for the old people ) for many many  years his last gig was 5/31/19.  He was asked to play at Nordstrom but he said he was not wearing no monkey suit. Once he finally retired from being an air traffic controller he went to work as a security guard at Raytheon in Santa Barbara.  (he obtained a pension from them as well) He rode his 10-speed bicycle to work each day until he retired from that in 2016.  He was approximately 89.  Whenever you would ask how was work today dad he would say “I did not catch any Nazis today so that’s a good day” 

Arnold taught his daughters---

Discipline

Finances – If you cannot pay cash you cannot afford it

“Whatever it takes”

Practice till you get it

Don’t give up

Get 2 jobs don’t get into your savings

At Arnolds passing he has left in this world

Wife –                                   Dorthea

Daughter                             Linda

Daughter                               Jane

Grandaughter’s                Tracey

Grandaughters                  Corrina

Grandson                            Todd

Grandson                            Trevor

Great grandsons               Hayden

                                                Lydon

                                                Hunter

                                                Sebastian

Services were held in Orange, California Wednesday prior to the body being returned to Kansas where graveside services are planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, August 10, at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Pasto Kevin Rea will officiate prior to military honors.

Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, Hiawatha, is assisting the family.