FREDERICK H. “JUICEMAN” ARNOLD

1949-2021

On the morning of 7/7/21, after a night out in New Orleans with his favorite girl at his favorite restaurant, and after more than one gin martini, Fred Arnold flew away to join that great second line in the sky. He died much as he lived - fast and not feeling any pain. He was glorious. He went gloriously.

Fred was a father to Jess, Bethany and Bill Arnold. He was a husband of 28 years to Ramona. He was a Big to his grandkids Waylon, Hayes, and Avery. He was loved by Paula and Theo and Ryan and Allann and Alisa and many, many others. He was a son to Olan and Queen and a grandson and great-grandson and great-great grandson to a long line of Irish poets, Scottish highlanders, and Viking berzerkers.

Fred was one of the true Renaissance men. He wore many different hats and did many many different things. According to his son, he excelled at all of them, even when he obviously didn’t (singing, skiing, golf, to name a few).

As a father, he was a story reader and an ant-bed burner. He was a playground builder and a bicycle pusher. He was wise lesson giver, a Ford truck driver, and a stinky cigar smoker. He was a worm hooker and a toy fixer. He was a scratchy beard hugger and a cheek-gooser.

He was a little league cheerer and a constant picture taker.

As a younger man, Fred was a concrete truck driver. He was an equipment hauler and Chaka Kahn roadie. He was a sign builder and a house constructor. When he first started at Minute Maid, he was a Hi-C box designer and weird rap song writer for corporate meetings.

Fred was best known as the Juiceman. He was a show-runner for Coca-Cola at countless Olympics. He was Mr. Minute Maid as far as the Astros were concerned. He was an omelette cooker for The Killer B’s and a clubhouse whisky drinker. He was a ballpark builder and a prolific scholarship giver with the Grand Slam for Youth Baseball. He was a brand ambassador and a good-faith generator. He was a 2017 World Series ring bearer.

As Sheila Jackson Lee once famously put it - he was The Man.

He was a Rebel, a Bearkat, and a Cougar. When his kids were in school he was a Redskin, and Aggie, and an Owl.

He was an Oxford Circuser. He was a thumping bass strummer and a peddle steel picker. He was a Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Hank-er.

He was a globe trotter. He was a giant-walker in Guatemala and a pit-sweater in Greece. He was an Aussie out-drinker and an Atlanta out-charmer. He was a New Zealand out-Ross-er and a Italian out-gypsyer. He was smoother than the ice in Norway and got weirder than the hentai in Japan. He was an international heart-breaker and legendary dream-maker. If a country had air-conditioning, he would be their valiant conquerer. If not, that was their problem.

He was a chopper rider and a classic car trophy winner. He was a huge tipper, double Crown shooter, and big love giver. He was a taco killer and a grease trapper.

He was a million weird friends haver. A bona-fide freak collector. (You all know who you are. His heart was full of every one of you.)

Fred was built for comfort, not for speed. Nothing ever affected him, affected him, affected him. This would be a great place for a bar, or a restaurant. I sweat when I swim. Wrong-o Bong-o, and a million other Fred-isms that we’ll find ourselves reflexively repeating for years to come.

He was loved until the end. He’s too cool to be dead.

At Fred’s request, his friends and family will gather for a beer and a laugh at his favorite icehouse, Jimmies (now known as Bobcat Teddy’s, 2803 White Oak Dr., 77007) on Sunday, July 18, 2021, 2-5 pm. His life will be more formally celebrated at the SPJST Lodge (1435 Beal St, 77008) on Saturday, August 21, 2021, 1-3 pm.

All are welcome for both events. Please wear your favorite Hawaiian or Tommy Bahama-style shirt. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made in Fred’s name to a cause dear to his heart, the Friends of Westbury High School Foundation Scholarship Program - https://www. friendswhs.org.