Remembering Eileen Arnold Knee

I had intended to write more about the city’s second annual Fall Festival of 1918, but during the week a good friend and longtime resident of Huntington Beach, Eileen Knee, passed away, and I thought it fitting that I recall some of the high points of her life in Huntington Beach.

Eileen Stricklin was born in Murphysboro, Ill., on April 21, 1925, to Robert Luther and Marie Stricklin.

In 1928, when Eileen was 3, the family moved from Murphysboro to California and settled in Huntington Beach when black gold ruled the town.

It must have been wonderful to grow up here when the town was still small enough to know your neighbors.

Eileen attended both Central Elementary and Huntington Beach High School.

Since Huntington Beach was an important oil-producing area, the government sent in the military to guard the rich oil deposits during World War II.

It was during this time that Eileen met Sheldon Arnold, who was stationed here, and in December 1942 the two were wed. They would remain together until Sheldon’s death in the 1970s.

On June 16, 1947, the first of their three sons, James Sheldon Arnold, was born.

By 1950 the three were living in one of the small bungalow apartments at 111 Seventh St. While Eileen cared for Jim, Sheldon worked in our oil fields for the Standard Oil Co.

They got to know many of the oil workers and their families and would continue those friendships for many years.

To help out with the finances, Eileen went to work as a waitress in the chicken dinner restaurant at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park.

At this time Cordelia Knott supervised her waitresses and everything else connected with the restaurant.

In 1950 Eileen found out that she was expecting a second child.

In the home of Hildreth Farrell on Pine Street, our local sewing club met on Feb. 6, 1951, to give Eileen a shower.

Instead of gifts, the girls presented Eileen with money so she could buy what she needed.

Sewing club members who were present at this shower to sample the Hawaiian pie topped with whipped cream, coffee and tea included Betty Ross, Ann Mays, Barbara Knott, Marilyn Barnes, Shirley Stevans, Jackie Ross, Beth McClymonds, Phyllis Bartimore and Barbara Livermore.

On March 4, 1951, her second son, Thomas Eugene, was born. With the new addition, a larger place to live was needed.

By 1952 the family was living in the Wesley area of Huntington Beach at 1107 Pine St. The two sons entered Central Elementary School in the 1950s.

In 1958 Eileen found out that she was again expecting a child, and on March 31, 1959, her last son, Andrew Dale, was born.

The Arnolds were a familiar sight attending the First United Methodist Church on Orange Avenue.

In 1946 Eileen’s father, Robert L. Stricklin, had become a Farmers Insurance agent in downtown Huntington Beach, and in later years Eileen would work in his office as his secretary.

In 1973 Sheldon suddenly passed away, leaving Eileen to care for her youngest child, Andy.

That was also the year that her father was thinking of retiring from the insurance business.

Eileen decided that she wanted to become an agent for Farmers. This was at a time when men dominated the insurance industry, and when she received her insurance license, Eileen had the distinction of being one of the first female insurance agents in the company.

During these early times, she had two partners at her Main Street office, George LaBauff and Jim Shannon.

When the two men left to open their own offices in Huntington Beach, Eileen would continue to run the office her father started.

In the early 1970s, her son Tom joined the Huntington Beach Police Department and started as a beat officer, patrolling the streets of Huntington Beach.

He would become a helicopter pilot for the city, and today he is the longest-serving active-duty officer in the local force.

In May 1976, Eileen married Cecil Knee, and they would live in one of the newly built Beachwalk town houses on Goldenwest.

Her son Jim went to work with her in the office at 324 Main St.

She remained a Main Street businesswoman for 18 years before turning the agency over to her son Andy in 1991 to spend more time with her husband.

In the 1980s she and Cecil sold their town house and began remodeling and enlarging her father’s old home on Main Street.

With retirement came time to travel around the country and visit friends and relatives.

In the mid-1990s, her firstborn, Jim, suddenly passed away.

Eileen passed away peacefully on Jan. 24, 2006, leaving behind many wonderful memories of her life in Huntington Beach.

She leaves her husband, Cecil, sons Tom and Andy, 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, along with many friends who will always remember this warm, giving and loving person.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box 7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.

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