Richard E. Arnold; Longtime Car Dealer

Richard E. Arnold of Studio City, who owned West Valley Toyota in Canoga Park and Lexus of Fremont in Fremont, Calif., has died at UCLA Medical Center. He was 69.

Arnold was a veteran of World War II, in which he served in the Pacific as a lieutenant in naval aviation.

He died Wednesday of complications from heart surgery, a spokesman for Toyota said.

Arnold was born in Hannibal, Mo., and he started in the automobile business in Kansas City, Mo., in 1951. The next year, he transferred to Berl Berry Lincoln-Mercury of Los Angeles and worked in various positions. He left Los Angeles in 1955 but returned in 1962 to open Valley Dodge in Van Nuys, which he sold in 1987. He opened West Valley Toyota in 1973 and had owned Lexus of Fremont since 1989.

During his career, he served as chairman of the national Dodge Dealers Advisory Council, on the board of the Toyota Dealers Advertising Assn., as president of the Southern California Dodge Dealers Advertising Assn. and as chairman of the National Lexus Dealer Council. He also served as president of the Motor Car Dealers Assn. of Southern California and founded Western Security Bank in Toluca Lake.

Arnold was also an avid golfer and won many pro-am events, including the Bob Hope Desert Classic and the Skins. He also served as chairman of the March of Dimes-Doug De Cinces Golf Tournament from 1979 to 1983.

He is survived by his wife, Frances Ann Arnold; son Richard Arnold, Jr.; daughters Catherine Simmons, Carrie Sharp and Ann Millen; brothers Charles and Gene Arnold; and four grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Monday at 11:30 a.m. at Forest Lawn Glendale, which is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Richard Arnold’s name to the American Heart Assn.