William Samuel “Bill” Arnett, 80, of Cheat Lake, passed away Thursday, October 31, 2024, surrounded by loved ones, in Mon Health Center following an extended illness. Bill was born August 22, 1944, in Morgantown, to the late James and Dorothy Arnett.
In 1962, he graduated from Washington Irving High School in Clarksburg, where he was a standout lineman on the football team, an experience that provided lifelong memories.
At Washington Irving he also met the love of his life, Diane Rowe Arnett, to whom he was married June 26, 1965.
Bill graduated with a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University before earning Master’s and Doctorate degrees in History from Ohio State University, where he specialized in the study of ancient Egypt.
Bill taught at Bowling Green State University before returning to Morgantown in 1970 to begin a 40-year career at WVU. He taught courses in ancient Greece and Rome, King Tut’s Egypt, humanities, women in the Middle East, and the modern Middle East. His thousands of students benefited from his enthusiasm, his genuine interest in their success, and his generosity with his time. He also developed a reputation for being an accessible and thorough academic advisor. During his tenure, he was named the WVU College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teaching of the Year, Distinguished Professor of the Year by the Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity, and was recognized as an Outstanding Faculty Member by WVU Disability Services. He also served as faculty advisor for the WVU Kuwait Student Union and was a member of the Mountain Honorary. He retired from WVU in 2010.
Bill made multiple trips to the Middle East to study the region and its culture, and as part of a delegation representing the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations.
He served for many years on the West Virginia State Archives and History Commission. During the first Gulf War and after 9/11 Bill was sought out by churches, community groups, and local television stations to share his insights on the importance of taking a holistic view of the Middle East and respecting the region’s various peoples, cultures, and religions.
An avid and devoted WVU sports fan, as an undergraduate Bill tutored multiple athletes. As a professor, he counted among his students many Mountaineer players as well as future coaches and athletic administrators. In addition to being a football and men’s basketball season ticket holder, for more than 30 years he worked as a ticket-taker at Mountaineer Field and the WVU Coliseum.
A lover of music, Bill sang in the choir at Suncrest United Methodist Church, where he was an active member and served on various committees.
He coached youth basketball and soccer, and he and Diane also served in leadership roles with the Morgantown High School Band Auxiliary.
At home in South Park, where he and Diane lived before moving to Cheat Lake in 2011, Bill could often be found grading papers or putting together PowerPoint slide decks for his classes. But he was as generous with his time for his children and their friends as he was with his students on campus. Bill was known for his corny “dad jokes,” his willingness to jump into any needed home repair project, his repeated threat to deliver “a three-hour lecture on Gilgamesh,” his extraordinary kindness and decency, his unfailing devotion to his family, and his homemade pizza.
In addition to Diane, Bill is survived by his children, Amy Irons (Craig), Stephen Arnett (Kimberly), and Jeffrey Arnett (Angela), of Cheat Lake; grandchildren, Alberto Irons (Maggie) of Bethel Park, Pa., Edward Irons of Morgantown, Aiden Arnett, Emily Arnett, Julia Arnett, and Ava Arnett of Cheat Lake; his brother, David Arnett (Suzanne) of Bridgeport; and nieces Yvonne Arnett and Sherry Gross of Bridgeport.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved in-laws, Chester and Eleanor Rowe, formerly of Clarksburg.
The family wishes to thank Mon Health Center and Amedisys Hospice for their kind and compassionate care.
In keeping with Bill’s wishes, cremation services will be provided.
A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, November 10, in Suncrest United Methodist Church, 479 Van Voorhis Road, with the Rev. Larry Buckland officiating. The family will also host a Celebration of Life reception later that same day, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., in The Erickson Alumni Center, 1 Alumni Drive, Morgantown.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to Suncrest United Methodist Church, which was a big part of Bill’s life, or World Central Kitchen, as he loved feeding people.
Hastings Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements and condolences may be sent to the family at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com
