Arnold E. Cantor was born on October 7, 1926, in New York, New York. He attended James Monroe High School for two years before moving to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of 15. He graduated from Fort Lauderdale High School in 1943.

In 1945, Arnold enlisted in the United States Army, serving initially in the infantry before becoming an Army medic. His service included assignments at Fort Ord, California, and Camp Dallas, Texas. He later served aboard a Navy hospital ship, where he treated wounded service members during the Okinawa campaign. Arnold was wounded in action while serving as a medic and was honorably discharged in 1946 with the rank of Technician Fourth Grade (T/4 Sergeant) in North Carolina.

Following his military service, Arnold attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, graduating in 1949 with a degree in Biosciences. From 1951 until 1979, he worked in Washington, D.C., for the Central Intelligence Agency, serving in logistics and intelligence.

Arnold married in 1951 and later retired to Vero Beach, Florida, in 1983. He resided in Vista Royale for more than 30 years. During the 1940s and 1950s, while attending college, he was an accomplished musician and performed in dance orchestras, playing the saxophone, clarinet, and flute.

In Vero Beach, Arnold dedicated himself to community service, volunteering at Vero Beach Hospital and serving as an ambulance driver for the Volunteer Ambulance Association. He was a proud member of the Disabled American Veterans and the Jewish War Veterans.

Arnold is survived by his three children, Bob, Arlene, and Steven, all of whom are high school educators. Bob resides in Maryland, Arlene in California and Steven is in Oregon. He is also survived by six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Inurnment with military honors will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, Florida.

He will be remembered for his service to his country, dedication to education and community, and a life marked by commitment, compassion, and quiet accomplishment.

Arrangements are under the direction of Cox-Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory.

An online guestbook is available at CoxGiffordSeawinds.com.