Arnold R. Craven

West Springfield -Arnold Richard Craven, Sr. 95, passed away Monday at Holyoke Medical Center. He was born in Holyoke to the late Mary (Monty) and Walter Craven. Arnold was a graduate of Holyoke High School and has been a lifelong area resident, having moved to the Holyoke Soldiers Home recently from Landmark in West Springfield. He was a communicant of St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Chicopee. Arnold proudly served in the US Navy for 37 years, having seen action in World War II. He was a driver for the former Springfield Street Railway, now the PVTA, for 40 years. Arnold was heavily involved in politics and ran for the Governor�s Council and Mayor of Springfield in the 1960�s. He loved to play bingo and was an avid sports fan, following the Red Sox, Bruins and most of all the UCONN Women�s Basketball team � Go Huskies! Arnold was predeceased by his 7 siblings: Walter, John, Nelson, Mary, Connie, Gloria and Ellen. He leaves his loving children: Alice M. Babcock and her husband James of W. Spfld, Jean M. Dufresne and her husband Charles of Suffield, CT and Arnold R. Craven, Jr of Agawam, six adored grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Arnold also leaves his lifelong friends William Fenton of Westfield and Jim Sullivan of Springfield. The funeral will be Friday at 9AM at the Toomey-O�Brien Funeral Home, 1043 Westfield Street, West Springfield, followed by a 10 AM Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 47 Pine Street. The burial will follow at the MA Veterans� Memorial Cemetery. Calling hours will be Thursday from 4 � 7 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity of one�s choice.