Mount Desert
Arnold W. Harkins, 81, died January 14, 2013 at MDI Hospital. He was born February 28, 1931 in Mt. Desert, the son of Thomas and Pauline (Liscomb) Harkins.
Arnold enlisted in the United States Army on April 1952. He took basic training at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas. After basic training he attended six weeks of school in Japan studying chemical, biological and radiation weapons. From Japan he transferred to Korea and during the war he was assigned to 96th FA BN. The 96th was a 155 MM artillery battalion. Arnold volunteered to serve on the front lines as part of the forward observer team. At war’s end, he returned to the states and assigned to a 90 MM AA unit in Quincy, MA. He later transferred to El Paso, TX to study and teach on the Nike Ajax and Hercules missile defense systems. He returned to the Boston area and served many years in repair and maintenance of these missile systems. During his 22 years of military service he was stationed in many parts of the US, including Texas, White Sands, New Mexico, Salt Lake City, Utah, Huntsville, Alabama, Lewiston, Maine and Aberdeen, Maryland. In the late 60’s he was transferred to Germany and served 3 plus years in various German cities. After returning from Germany, he was stationed in Aberdeen, Maryland, where he taught basic electronics to the incoming soldiers. Mr. Harkins returned from the Army in June of 1974. Arnold received many medals, including, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Army commendations Medal (1st OLC), National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal (1st-7th Awards). After the Army, he was in the television repair business for many more years. At the age of 62, Mr. Harkins sold his share of the business to his partner of many years and returned for good. In retirement he kept himself occupied by doing wood-working in his basement workshop. His main interest in wood-working was in the scroll saw field. He also enjoyed hunting and when the season opened, he and his buddies never missed the chance to go. They hunted mostly in Northern Maine, in and around the Oxbow and Patten areas. They mostly hunted for deer, but also went on moose hunts in 1980 and 1998. Both moose hunts came to a successful conclusion. When not hunting or wood-working, he enjoyed reading. His interests in reading ran from stories about the civil war, WWII, true crime and biographies of men and women from all walks of life. He belonged to a variety of book clubs and most of the local libraries. From time-to-time, he made small donations to the local libraries and other local services such as fire and ambulance services. Arnold also liked to get in the kitchen and do a bit of cooking. The cooking part mostly consisted of pastries such as cakes, cookies and pies.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Virginia “Ginny” Harkins; two sons, David and Richard Harkins, both of Mt. Desert; one brother, Louis Harkins and his wife Barbara of Plainsville, CT.; one granddaughter, Tina Brown and her husband Steed of Wender, GA; and four great-grandchildren, Maddie, twin girls, Shelby and Sydney and Mason. Arnold and his wife Ginny greatly loved and enjoyed visiting with Tina and her husband and the great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at Brookside Cemetery, Mt. Desert in the spring with full military honors.
Contributions in Arnold’s memory may be made to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 41 State House Station, Augusta, ME., 04333-0041.
Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main St., Mt. Desert.
Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com