THE PASSING OF A GENERATION'
by Joseph M. Giordano
It was sunny by noontime Tuesday, but it was a dark day for Dundalk as
10 pallbearers led the casket of former state delegate John S. Arnick
into the cool, crowded space of Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church.
Church bells tolled at noon as relatives, friends and political
luminaries from both parties filed into the Lynch Road church to pay
their final respects to the man who many considered to be one of the
best politicians in Maryland's history.
“John without a doubt had a tremendous effect on an entire generation
of politicians,” said Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., who attended the
funeral Mass with his wife, Kendall. “In fact, this is the passing of a
generation. He taught all of us how to respect the institution of
government and how to conduct ourselves as legislators and members of
the General Assembly. I will miss him as a friend and a legislator. We
were very close.”
Ehrlich later presented Arnick's widow, Joann, and her family with a
folded Maryland flag.
Arnick, who was 72 when he died of cancer on June 13, represented
Dundalk in the Maryland legislature for 35 years.
Arnick's dedication to the community is what elected officials like
U.S. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger remembered most about the popular
politician.
“No matter what,” Ruppersberger said before the funeral, “he just
wanted to make sure the people of Dundalk were taken care of first. I
learned a lot from John. He was one of the best politicians in Maryland
history, as far as I'm concerned. There won't be another one like him.”
Arnick, who was born on Dunhill Road, served in the U.S. Marines during
the 1950s and was first elected to the House of Delegates in 1967.
He was House majority leader from 1971 to '79 and 1987-90.
In February 1993, Arnick left the House when then-Gov. William Donald
Schaefer nominated him to become a District Court judge. Arnick removed
himself from consideration amid allegations that he made a derogatory
remark at a domestic violence dinner.
Arnick was back in the House in September 1993, when he was chosen by
the 6th District Democratic Central Committee to fill the seat created
by the death of Ed “Nipper” Schafer.
Ehrlich appointed Arnick to the state Board of Contract Appeals earlier
this year, so the delegate resigned his 6th District seat after the
2006 legislative session. The vacancy has been filled by John Olszewski
Jr.
Arnick worked at his new job for just one day, May 1, before falling
ill with pneumonia. At Johns Hopkins Hospital he was diagnosed with
lung cancer.
Over his long career in Maryland politics, Arnick impressed many
friends and fellow politicians with his wit and knowledge of the legal
process.
“I always went to John for advice,” said State Del. Joseph “Sonny”
Minnick (6th District), a longtime friend. “He always gave solid, basic
advice like ‘Worry about people in your district first.' I'll certainly
miss him.”
U.S. Rep. Ben Cardin recalled Arnick's sharp mind and busy work ethic.
“He was absolutely brilliant,” Cardin said before the funeral.
“[Arnick] passed on his knowledge and humor to other delegates and
young legislators. He was a doer. I never saw him sit down. John was
always working.”
State senator and 6th District legislative colleague Norman Stone,
another personal friend who was one of 19 honorary pallbearers - which
included former Maryland governor Marvin Mandel - choked up while
remembering his longtime friend.
“You can't imagine how much I will miss John,” said Stone, who has
known Arnick for over 42 years. “It hurts.”
Stone remembered the late delegate as being a hard worker and a mentor
to up-and-coming politicians.
“John was something else,” Stone said. “Everyone went to him for
advice. John was there for everyone. He was incredibly dedicated to his
job and to the people of Dundalk.”
“John was the first one in and the last to leave,” Stone said before
following the casket into the crowded church and past a smiling
portrait of the former delegate, John S. Arnick.
Copyright © 2006 Dundalk Eagle
Published June 22, 2006.